Head Above Water
by Morphme
Summary: Jason was the last person Tommy expected to be knocking on his door in the middle of the night. When Jason drops the bomb that someone has taken Kimberly, Tommy knows he has no choice but try to find her. Kimberly is trapped and knows she needs to find a way out before time runs out. Old wounds are ripped open as an old foe comes back to finish where they left off.
1. Intro

A/N: Hello everyone! Welcome to the new fanfic! I hope you've read the preview at the end of Marry Me. I just wanted to give everyone a heads up that for right now, this will be rated T but will have a high probability of becoming M (because I'm a perv lol). Also, this story will switch back and forth between Kimberly's and Tommy's POVs. It should say at the top of the chapter title who is speaking but if you get confused, don't hesitate to ask. I got the idea of this FF at the Rhode Island Comic-Con after meeting Jason David Frank. (Check out my avatar for our awesome picture together!) As always, I hope you enjoy and remember to R&R!

I do not own the rights of Power Rangers nor the song, Head Above Water.

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Head Above Water  
A Power Ranger Fanfic

Darkness shrouded the room, a single candle perched on a stand casting harsh shadows in its wake. With each flicker, the shadows would dance, moving gracefully like dancers in the moonlight. The glow of the fire was bright in contrast to the inky darkness around it. It was like a beacon of hope on the darken seas, guiding ships to safety. The little flame of the candle striving to do its best to pierce through the black.

In the darkness, a figure stepped forward. Wearing a robe of black fabric, the cloaked figure stood in front of the flame. Their eyes followed the movement of the candle, its glow reflected from their orbs. A soft purr emitted from their lips as a smile spread widely. _How foolish_ , the creature thought. There was so much power left in the life of the flame. It refused to give up as long as it had the fuel and the oxygen to let it burn.

Turning from the candle, the figure pulled a staff from inside of the robe. Stabbing it down, the echo of its contact on the cement below surrounded the area. More soft glows began to fill the room as circular globes began to brighten. Soon, the room was filled with enough light to illuminate everything.

"It's been far too long it seems." The figure purred, taking in the room. Dust, cob webs and insect shells littered the area, signs that life had not be present in many years. There was no noise around except for that of the figure as they purred. Taking the staff, they waved it quickly and the proof of lifeless existence vanished. The throne that stood in the middle of the room, stone that was crumbling, still remained crumbling though.

"This will have to do until my powers are completely restored." They murmured. Turning, they focused their attention on a wide archway. Long curtains hung from it, their deep red color contrasting against the dark colors of the stone floor. Grabbing the curtain, they opened it. A balcony was revealed, a large area wide enough from them to walk out without issue. There was also a stone railing that protected whoever stood here from a deadly fall. Stepping out, the figure walked over to the edge and leaned against the railing. Glancing up, the creature took in the sight of planet Earth. It seemed to glow blue, the water reflecting the pale color as white clouds moved across the surface of it.

Home of the human race and many other creatures that have evolved over the centuries, Earth was well known in the galaxy for being the most sought-after planet this side of the Milky Way. For centuries, various species have tried to conquer its grounds and take over those who inhabit the orb. None have prevailed though. This was in thanks to a powerful group of warriors, known as the Power Rangers. The Power Rangers were an elite fighting force that were created by the legendary interdimensional being known as Zordon. With the aid of his trusted assistant, Alpha 5, the noble master sought out six extraordinary teenagers and gave them the power to transform into an unstoppable fighting force. In time of great need, the young heroes could now call upon colossal assault vehicles known as "Zords". While the identity of the six remained a guarded secret, their courageous exploits soon became the stuff of legend. Power Rangers have protected the Earth for years now, keeping at bay the evil forces that have tried to take that away from them. Teams have come and gone, leaving new rangers to care on the legacy to protect the world from evil.

"Well, Rangers." The figure said. "Let's see if time has been as good to you as it has for me."


	2. Chapter 1

Kimberly

"Cindy, I know you aren't trying to weasel out of here for a boy." I said, rolling my eyes. Behind me, I heard the all too familiar huff of a teenage girl.

"Miss Hart, I promise you this will be the only time. It's just that Tony-." Turning, I cut off Cindy Harrison, the sixteen-year-old blond that stood in front of me. Her blue eyes looked up at me, pleading in them as she tried to give me yet again another sob story about her and her boyfriend, Tony. Sighing, I shook my head.

"This is your last chance. I will give you tonight to think about it, but you need to decide whether or not you want to be here on this team. Do you understand me?" I asked, locking eyes with her. She nodded quickly.

"Yes! Thank you, Kimberly." She wrapped her arms around my neck tightly for a hug before running up the hallway towards the direction of the girl's dorms. Rolling my eyes again, I turned back to the bulletin board I was standing in front of. In front of my face, the poster for the tryouts next week hung. It was officially that time of year again. We would be trying to decide which of our athletes would be able to make it for the Olympic team. I had to admit, I was nervous enough for everyone here and I wasn't even competing. Pressing a thumb tack into the bottom of the paper, I stepped back to admire my poster hanging abilities. The girls would be able to write their names under which event they wanted to try for.

I've been a coach here at the Schmidt Gym for almost eight years now. It's something I love to do, and I enjoy helping girls try to make their dreams come true when it comes to gymnastics. It feels like a lifetime ago when I was trying out to become part of Coach Schmidt's team. After I landed a spot, I travelled from my home in California to train here in Florida. I made it to the team for Pan Globals where I scored first place. From there, I made it to the Olympic team. It took a few years on that team for me to earn a medal, but I finally did. I took bronze my first two years, silver the next and then gold for my last three years on the American team. By the end of those games, I knew my time competing was done. I had suffered an injury in my knee that already had two surgeries and the pain was still there. I made my decision to retire from the team. That's when Coach Schmidt offered me a job teaching at his training school. I would have been a fool to turn it down. After eight years, I am now one of the head coaches and I run the dorms for the girls. That was something I was starting to regret.

Grabbing the folding chair, I walked up the hallway towards my office. Peaking down at my watch, I saw it was nearing six o'clock. I had to get back to the dorms to start my office hours there. I try to be there every night from six til ten. It was my job to ensure the girls made it back for curfew. It was open practice tonight, the gym open to anyone that wanted to work on their routines and fine tune their movements. The other girls' coach, Andrea Slocum, would be watching the gym. We take turns most nights, her opting for the gym more than the dorms. I didn't blame her. It seemed like the girls always had a new problem going on in their lives. Between boys, other girls and whatever made them tick, I felt like I was dealing with more drama now than I did when I was a teen. Of course, I didn't have the typical teenager crap to deal with. My crap was a bit more difficult than that.

"Hey, Kim." Andrea said as I walked into our shared office. The red head looked up from her cell phone that was in hand, her green eyes seeming to twinkle as she smiled. "Did Cindy find you?"

"Of course, she did." I replied, setting the chair in the corner of the room. Our office was small with beige painted brick walls. Her desk sat on the right side of the room by the door while mine was diagonally across on the left. Andrea shook her head, scoffing.

"I take it she won't be joining us for open practice tonight." She said. I nodded, sitting in my seat behind my desk. Sighing, I leaned back in my chair. My knee was bothering me today. Every time I moved it seemed, a popping noise would come from it. I saw a visit to my doctor in the near future. It would need to be soon though. We only had about six weeks before the first round of qualifiers for this year's games.

"I told her to take the night to think about whether she wants to be here of not. Her and that Tony kid are way too serious for their age." I said.

"It's kinda sweet, ya know?" Andrea commented, sliding her phone into the pocket of her sweat shirt.

"More like pathetic." I mumbled, moving the mouse of my laptop. The screen turned on, the roster of our girls opening on it.

"Oh, c'mon, Kim. Don't you remember being a kid and having a boy be the center of your universe? I do. His name was Craig and he was this bad boy at my school." Andrea sighed, looking off into the distance as she reminisced. I smirked in her direction. Andrea was always the dreamer. She always has new ideas and ways to make them come true, even if they were a little out there. A dopey smile crossed her lips.

"Can't say that I do." I replied. I entered Cindy's absence into the program, noticing she had four just this month. The girls were required to attend all practices and at least six open ones. She was cutting it close. "Cindy is walking a fine line here. I hope she realizes what she's risking here."

"I'm sure she will. She's a smart kid. Love makes us do stupid shit." Standing up, she grabbed her eyes and her whistle from the top drawer of her desk. Looping the whistle over her head, she shoved her keys into the pocket of her pants. "Suppose I should go open the gym up. I'm in the mood for something good for dinner. You up for some Mexican tonight?"

"Sure." I replied, shrugging my shoulder.

"Just text me your order and I'll pick it up on my way back to the dorms." She said, walking out the door. Turning off my laptop, I closed it and gathered my belongings. Tossing my bag over my shoulder, I walked out of the office. I made sure to close the door behind me before heading towards the exit that led to the parking lot.

The dorms were located about a mile away from the training center. Each day, there was a shuttle that would bring the girls to and from the center to the dorms. The same was for the boys whose dorms were next store. I don't see why they thought it would be a good idea to put teenagers of the opposite sex so close together but, that was why we were assigned dorm duty each night. My apartment was also located in the same building. It wasn't anything impressive and I share it with Andrea, but it was free. It was at the very top of the building, twelve stories above the ground. The girls didn't have access to our floor, only people with a key for it did. It was a nice getaway from the drama. We did have the option of living off campus, but it was silly to give up a free apartment. Especially with a roommate like Andrea. Before her, I had a bratty twenty-year-old who would try to throw parties every night. Thankfully, she didn't last long.

Hopping into my little white Ford Focus, I pulled out of the parking lot and heading towards the dorms. I mindlessly flipped through the radio stations, songs and commercials playing on most of the channels. I stopped when I heard a man's voice speaking.

"We have breaking news to report out of Orlando. We have been receiving reports that a beach has been filled with dead marine life. One witness is reporting that there was between 200 to 400 dead sharks on the shores and at least five dead hump back whales. Officials on the scene are trying to figure out what has happened and what could have caused this. Other witnesses are reporting that it seems that all of the creatures were injured. Once we have more information, we will pass that along."

"How strange." I whispered, glancing towards the sign that pointed to the highway that led to Orlando. What could have caused something like that? Of course, animals behave in strange ways. Perhaps it was something like that. I was sure those who protest for animals' rights would be all over that in no time. I shoved the report from my mind a I pulled into my assigned parking spot at the dorms. The building stood tall over me as I yanked my stuff from the passenger seat. The building was twelve stories high and housed about a hundred students. It was a grey building, tall windows on each floor that led to balconies with cast iron railings. These were locked though, administration not wanting the kids to risk falling from these. On the ground floor, the front of the building had two glass doors that I pushed open to get inside. There was an identical building next to it where the boys lived. There were security cameras in the lobby and on the front of both buildings.

"Good evening, Miss Hart." George Thurman said from his post behind the security desk. The middle aged African American man was dressed in his uniform, a belt filled with different objects at his waist. He smiled brightly at me, pointing at the metal detector in front of me. I set my bag on the table next to it before stepping through. He waved his little wand over the bag before handing it to me. Behind him, I saw the lobby. It was a good-sized room, a door on the right and the entrance to the stairs on the left. Four Christmas trees were set up in each corner, gold and silver tinsel streaming on them. The girls had decorated last week, the Christmas season in the air now more than ever. I was finding it hard to believe it was December already.

"Hey, George. How are you?" I asked, putting my bag back on my shoulder. He shrugged.

"Oh, I can't complain. And you?"

"Same old. How's the smart phone going?" He laughed, shaking his head.

"My son is still trying to teach me. I'm starting to get used to it. And I mean, I kinda like bossing Siri around." He replied.

"It's fun! Let me know if you need any help. The iPhone can be confusing. I know it took me forever to learn it when I first got one. The girls had to show me how to do stuff on it. Nothing makes you feel older than that."

"Ain't that the truth!" He said, smiling. I gave him a little wave, turning towards the office in the corner of the lobby. From there, I could see the elevator and the stairs that led up to the rooms. No one could go in or out without me seeing them. It also meant that they could all see me too. In front of the door, I saw a box filled with mail. When the girls get mail, it comes to the building and it was our jobs to sort it and give it to them. Unlocking the door, I slid the box in with my foot. Flipping on the light, I saw that the little office was slightly trashed. That was a clear sign that Andrea had been here last night. Rolling my eyes, I dropped my bag on a chair near the door. There was a desk in the middle of the room, a computer on top of it. An old chair was behind that along with a shorter filing cabinet. That held all of the girls emergency information and medical records just in case something was to happen, and they needed to go to the hospital or emergency room. On the desk, there were candy wrappers, a banana peel and an empty can of soda. I slid all of the trash into the garbage bin on the side of the desk, swearing under my breath.

Once it was tidy enough for my liking, I started sorting the mail. I like to sort them by girl and then wrap them in rubber bands by floor. It made it easier for when I deliver them. There was a lot here, the upcoming holidays making everyone want to write their children to make sure they would be coming home for the occasion. I also saw a lot of the girls were getting magazines, making the bundles heavy. Once everything was sorted, I tossed it back in the box and made my rounds. Most of the kids were at practice, a few of them here trying to catch up on homework. I greeted them all, making sure they knew I was there. After making my last delivery, I went back to the office and got to work on my own paper work. Each night, we were in charge of keeping information up to do, attendance on file and the girls performances graded. It was going to be a tight competition this year when it comes to picking our top contenders. Most of the girls here have been training for two years, joining the program when they turned 14. This meant that they were in their prime and could make it all the way. It also meant there would be plenty of cuts. This was why we were pushing the girls to try out for more than one event, giving them more chances to make it.

My cell phone dinged from the front pocket of my bag, breaking my concentration from the computer. Standing, I walked over and grabbed it. The screen lit up and I saw it was a text message. I slid my finger across the screen and opened it. Give me a call was written in the text and I noticed it was from Jason Lee Scott. My best friend since grade school, he has been trying to get me to call him for the past few days. It keeps slipping my mind each night when I get back to my apartment. Glancing in the lobby, I saw that George was the only one there. Tapping his contact information, it switched to the calling screen and I heard it ring as I brought it to my ear.

"Holy shit. You are alive." Jason's voice said as he picked up. Rolling my eyes, I closed the office door slightly and made my way back to the desk.

"Oh, ha ha." I replied. "What's up?"

"Well, I just wanted to see how you were doing." He replied.

"I'm fine. How are you?"

"Good. Never been better. Come home." He said in one breath. I rolled my eyes again, letting out a huff.

"Jase, do you really want to have this argument right now?" I asked.

"I wouldn't call it an argument. I would call it a compromise that needs to happen. C'mon, Kim. It's almost Christmas time. I need to know if you'll be here for the holidays."

"I already told you I wasn't sure. The games are right after that and I'm not sure if Schmidt will give me the vacation time." I lied. I knew I would be able to get the time off. Schmidt tells me all the time that I need to take more time. It wasn't something I do often.

"Everyone is going to be back in town. It'll be just like old times." He stated.

"Everyone?" I asked, knowing he was trying to tread lightly.

"Yeah! Aisha and Rocky, Adam and Tanya. Billy is going to try and make it. Zach's going to be staying with Angela."

"Jason…" I said, a warning tone in my voice.

"….and Tommy." He said quickly.

"I knew it." I said, shaking my head. "No. No way."

"Oh, come on, Kim! It's been ten years. I think that at 27, you two should be able to get over yourselves and spent one weekend together."

"There's nothing to get over." I replied. "He's happy. I'm happy. Why make it complicated?"

"Why does it need to be complicated?" He asked. "Your break up was ten years ago. I don't understand why you two can't just move past that. I thought you were on good terms after the whole deal with Divatox." Closing my eyes, I rubbed the bridge of my nose with my index finger.

"We were. It's personal. Honestly." I muttered.

"Will you please just consider it? Even if you just come for Christmas. We can keep the two of you separated. The rest of us would love to see you." He pleaded.

"I don't know." I said, softly. Opening my eyes, I thought about the last time I had seen all of my friends together. It had been for Jason's wedding to my other best friend, Trini Kwan. That was about five years ago. I did miss them all. "Let me think about it and ask about the time off, okay?"

"Awesome! I knew I could sweet talk you if I tried hard enough."

"You are such an ass." I said.

"You know you love me though." He chimed. He was right. No matter what he said or did, I knew Jason was a good guy and one of the few of them I knew I could trust. He's always been there for me and we're closer than my own brother and I are. He's been my rock since we were little, and God knows what I would have done without him there for me.

"So, what did you get Trini for Christmas?" I asked, hoping to change the subject.

"Please. I still have a good three weeks before I have to worry about that shit." He replied. "But, I do have a plan. She really wants this new tablet computer that came out this year. You can sync it up with any type of device. I think she'd be able to use it for work and everything."

"Sounds perfect. I'm sure she'll love it." I said, standing from the chair. I walked over to the door and pulled it open more. "Jase, I gotta let you go. I'm on shift still. I can give you a call tomorrow before I head in though and let you know what I decided."

"How about I call you? You seem to forget how to return phone calls in a timely manner." He teased.

"Good-bye, jerk." I said before hanging up the phone. I set the phone on my desk and shook my head. He's been bugging me about coming home for Christmas since the end of August. Him and Trini had the grand idea to have us all together for the yule tide celebration, something we used to do when we were teens. I knew I could get the time off for it. I'm sure Schmidt would be willing to buy me the ticket if it meant using my PTO. I just didn't know if I could muster the courage to go back. It's been so long.

"Miss Hart?" A voice asked, making me jump slightly. Glancing behind me, I saw one of the girls standing in the doorway. Fifteen-year-old Maria Romero. She was a tiny thing with jet black hair and olive skin, the kind of complexion that girls would kill for. I smiled at her, gaining my senses.

"Hi, Maria. What's up?"

"The toilet in our dorm is clogged and the maintenance guy told us to ask you to plunge it." She replied meekly.

"Fantastic." I muttered. This day just keeps getting better.


	3. Chapter 2

Tommy

"Hello?" I said, bringing the cell phone to my ear. In the background, I could hear traffic and shuffling of papers. "Hello?" I asked again.

"Mr. Oliver! Sorry about that. I was trying to find your file. I have some good news for you!" Mr. Andrews said, my lawyer sounding rushed as he spoke. I sat back in my chair, turning it so I was facing the door of my office. It was currently lunch time at Reefside High School. All the students were either in the cafeteria or outside, enjoying the bright sunshine. The teachers, like myself, were taking advantage of the free time to eat our own lunches and grade papers.

"What is it?" I asked. I wished he would hurry up. Mr. Andrews charges by the hour and he liked to take his time so that he could make more off of my already poor ass.

"Your divorce is officially final as of 8 am this morning. The clerk sent me over the signed papers. You are a free man." He announced, happiness in his voice. I frowned, running a hand through my short brown hair.

"That's good to know." I replied, not really sure how I felt about the news.

"Congratulations. I know it's been quite the ordeal, but I think you ended up with the better deal. Miss Hibbard only ended up with what little she wanted, and you were able to keep the house and all of your stuff."

"Yeah." I said, barely hearing him.

"I'll be sending your bill to you in the mail along with a copy of your divorce papers. You might receive them from the clerk as well. It's never a bad thing to have too many of them, I suppose."

"Right. Thank you, Mr. Andrews. I need to head back to work now."

"Of course! Take care of yourself, Tommy. Enjoy the single life while you're still young enough to."

"Sure thing." I hung up the phone, tossing it onto my desk. Leaning my head back against the chair, I gazed up at the ceiling. Divorced at 28. Definitely not the life I had planned, that's for sure.

I'm not even sure what I had expected out of life. When I first met my wife – make that ex-wife, I guess – we were seventeen. I was set to graduate from high school and thought I knew what I wanted in life. We started dating after my previous girlfriend broke up with me. It wasn't even something I thought I wanted to do. Katherine was nice and sweet. She was caring during the toughest time in my life. I knew she liked me, and our friends said we looked good together. I figured it wouldn't do much harm in giving it a shot. We dated for three years before I finally popped the question. We got married six months later. We were married for almost six years before I began to realize the problem; I wasn't in love with her. The more I sat and thought about it, the more I realized that I never was in love with her. It was something that I tried to hide, in hopes of sparing her feelings. I couldn't hide it forever though. It finally came out on our six-year wedding anniversary. She was upset, naturally, and headed straight to a divorce attorney the next day. Now here we are, almost a year later.

I shouldn't be surprised with myself. Part of me knew when I was younger. Whenever I saw her, I didn't get the butterflies that most people get when you see someone you love. There were no sparks when we kissed. I knew she loved me. I could tell by the way she looked at me every time she saw me. It wasn't fair to her I had let her believe I loved her for this long. She hasn't spoken to me since she went to her lawyer. I had seen through social media though that she had found someone else. A journalist or something. I was happy for her. I hoped he was good to her and a better person than I had been. Not only had I strung her along, I had also done the unthinkable to her. That was something I hate to think about. Another thing to add to the ever-growing list of why Tommy Oliver Sucks As A Person.

My cell phone rang again, the black mobile device vibrating across the top of the desk. Trent Mercer's face flashed on the screen, his smile wide as he held his arm around his girlfriend, Kira Ford. It was a video chat I noticed. I really wasn't up for talking at the moment, but I hit the answer button any way, holding the phone up so that my front facing camera could see me. My screen loaded for a moment before flashing a moving image of Trent and Kira. The black-haired boy was sitting on his couch, the blonde-haired Kira next to him.

"Hey, guys. What's up?" I asked my former students. They both smiled brightly at me and I tried to smile as well. It was forced but seemed passable.

"Hey, Dr. O! How are you?" Kira asked, leaning closer to the phone.

"I'm fine. How's UCLA treating you?" I asked.

"Not bad. Just can't wait to be out of here in a few weeks." She replied. It had been years since they graduated, both of them getting into UCLA. Kira was a music major, due to graduate early based on her achievements. Trent still had another semester to go but he was doing wonders with his physics major. The both of them were going to be very successful in their careers. Kira already had one CD out and was hoping on making another one. They were two of my shining examples of students. Though, I might be a little bias.

"Are you getting excited?" I asked. She nodded, giving Trent a little side glance and smile. He grinned widely, nodding.

"We are. Actually, we have some news to tell you." Kira said, looking like she was ready to bounce off the couch with excitement. Bending down, she grabbed something out of frame and held it up. It was a white stick and I could just make out the word 'pregnant' on the side of it. "We're pregnant!" They exclaimed together.

"No way!" I said, a true smile spreading my face. "Congrats! You guys are going to make great parents."

"Thank you! We're still in shock. It's very unexpected but we're happy too." Kira replied. I glanced at Trent who was beaming. It made me happy to see something good like this happening for the two of them. I thought for sure an engagement would be coming soon but this was still some good news.

"Did you tell Conner and Ethan yet?" I asked, leaning forward in my chair.

"Not yet. We're having dinner with Ethan tonight and I think we'll call Conner after that. Could you let Haley know, though?" Kira asked. I nodded.

"Will do. When you guys coming back to Reefside?"

"Probably around Christmas time." Trent said, glancing at the calendar behind them on the wall.

"Great! I'll be in Angel Grove for a few days but should be home in time to see you. We'll have to get together."

"Yes!" Above me, the bell signaling the end of lunch sounded. In a few short minutes, twenty sixteen-year olds would be barreling through the door.

"Sorry, guys. I gotta go. Congrats again, though." I said. They both waved before hanging up.

Honestly, that little bit of news made my day a whole lot brighter. I made it through the rest of my afternoon without thinking of the divorce once. It wasn't until after the final bell that it popped back into my mind. I loaded up my briefcase with papers I still had to grade before heading out of the school towards the parking lot. My jeep sat in my designated spot, the sun shining off the hood as I unlocked the door with my key fob. I was in need of a new vehicle. This one had seen better days and the miles were up there. I couldn't afford that right now, though. With court fees and my lawyer, I was lucky I had enough money to pay my bills. Kat had been nice and didn't ask for money in the divorce. She merely wanted her belongings from the house and to never see me again. I didn't blame her for that. Besides, she had a great career herself. She was a backup dancer for a number of groups, including Beyoncé and Lady Gaga. She didn't need the very little money I made as a science teacher.

Driving home, I flipped on the radio. Someone droned on about whales on one station. I turned the dial, finding the Red-Hot Chili Peppers playing on the oldies station. It made me feel ancient to hear that as I sang along. It brought me back to high school, driving around in my first car with the windows rolled down. I could almost imagine a petite brunette sitting in the passenger seat next to me. Her brilliant smile shining, a dimple poking through. For a moment, I thought I smelt the slightest hint of perfume. Shaking my head, I knew it wasn't real. There was no girl in the car with me, especially that one.

Pulling into the drive way, I parked the jeep and heading up the front porch steps. Inside, I found myself in my bare looking house. It didn't look this way because Kat was gone. I had never been one for decoration. This was apparent by the two leather sofas and mounted big screen in the living room. The hard wood floors stretched from the front door to the kitchen, making the light brown walls seem inviting. Kat had tried to decorate while she lived her, but I just never found the time to help her. Things in my life were complicated after we moved here. She was still going to college, choosing to live on campus to make the commute easier for her. We were newlyweds then, still full of hope and for her, love. What a damn shame that couldn't have lasted.

Grabbing a beer from my fridge, I settled on the couch and turned on the television. I flipped it to ESPN, catching highlights from last night's game. Not that it really mattered to me. I hadn't watched any type of sports program in real time since I became a teacher. Unless you count the school's teams. For a while, I was the assistant coach for the football team. That fizzled out though after more important things came to light. It was okay. I didn't really care for coaching much. It was too time consuming and I already have issues keeping on top of my grading as it was. Taking a sip of my beer, my eyes fell on a green flannel shirt that was on the back of the couch. I had forgotten about that. Kat had sent it to me in the mail, it getting mixed in with her stuff. Standing, I grabbed the shirt and looked down at it in my hand.

Turning, I walked towards the stairs near the front door and climbed up them. Taking a left, I entered my home office and flipped on the light. It was a modest size room, dark grey carpeting under my boots and light grey paint on the walls. There was a wooden desk in the middle of the room, my desk top computer on top of it. My computer chair was pushed into the desk, my gi still tossed over the back of that. This also doubled as my gym when I needed a quick practice. I was still in the middle of transitioning the other bedroom into a gym but was waiting for the right flooring. I just haven't gotten to the home improvement store to get it. Walking over to the closet in the corner, I pulled the door open. There were boxes stacked in here, three tubes at the bottom of the stack. Looking up, I saw a smaller box on the top shelf. It was tucked in the back behind a set of weights that were stored here. Grabbing it, I closed the door and walked over to the chair.

Sitting, I set the box in my lap and opened it. I was greeted with a green wooden jewelry box and a photo album. There were some other things under that; a folder filled with papers, a white bandana, a pink scarf. Pulling the box out, I set the other one on the desk. It was a wooden box that had been painted black. The paint had chipped throughout the years, pieces missing here and there. On the front of the box, there was a metal clasp. Pressing it, it popped up. The lid opened easily and inside, I found a round object. It was chilly to the touch as I picked it up out of the box. Running my thumb over the object, I could feel the outline of the three points on the front of the coin.

When I was fifteen years old, I moved to Angel Grove, California. It was something I hadn't been thrilled about, my adopted parents saying it would do me some good to meet new people. I had had some troubles at my old school with some kids and they felt I needed a fresh start. Little did I know, it would be the greatest decision of my life. After moving there, I discovered the Angel Grove was a frequent target for monsters and aliens. I know it sounds weird but it's true. These giant monsters would attack the city and it was up to this group of people to save them, known as the Power Rangers. There were five of them, all dressed in different colored armor to fight off the intruders. I thought it was cool, seeing real life super heroes in action. I wondered who it could be, and day dreamed about being one. Oh, if I only knew then what I knew now.

Two weeks after moving to Angel Grove, I was attacked by what were known as putties. They were these ugly little gray guys who were pretty useless but still could put up a nasty fight if needed. I fought them off though, a mistake that I didn't realize until it was too late. Their leader, an evil sorceress by the name of Rita Repulsa, had sent them to attack me so she could see how I would do it battle. I apparently passed the test because the next thing I knew, I was being kidnapped. She placed me under an evil spell, brain washing me, so I was under her control. She gave me the Dragonzord Power Coin which gave me the ability to morph into the Green Ranger. She ordered me to learn all I could about the Power Rangers so that I would be able to destroy them.

Destroying them consumed me. She provided me with all of their information. The red ranger was Jason Lee Scott, the leader. Trini Kwan was the yellow ranger, a well-trained fighter and smart. The blue ranger was a near genius by the name of Billy Cranston. Zach Taylor, the black ranger, was second in command. And the pink ranger was Kimberly Hart, the girl I had rescued at school the day before from two bullies. I followed their every move, trying to learn what their routines were. Jason kept trying to be my friend, even with my cold shoulder towards him. Rita gave me the ability to send him to her dark dimension, a place in her moon-based palace where the morphing grid – the element that powers the Power Rangers – doesn't work. Billy, Trini and Zach tried their hardest to find him and discover the evil ranger's identity. Kimberly, on the other hand, was too busy trying to get me to speak to her.

Under the spell, my whole demeanor changed. It was cold and distant to everyone. It sure created a lot of tension at home with my parents. At school though, Kimberly wouldn't give up trying to be my friend. I was mean to her, snapped at her for being nosey, but she still kept trying. After Jason was freed from the dark dimension, they soon realized that it was me they had been fighting. I thought for sure that her kindness would stop then. It didn't. She still tried to reach out to me and offer me the option of joining their team. Even under the spell, it was shocking to see her still trying like hell to befriend me. I had done terrible things, attacked innocent people, tossed her and her friends from the top of the Megazord, the fighting machines used to fight the giant monsters. She still tried. She never gave up.

The Rangers were able to free me from the spell, breaking what was known at the Sword of the Darkness. This freed me from Rita's control and let me have my mind back. Jason then extended the offer to let me join their team which I took. It was hard adjusting to joining the team. I was riddled with guilt, feeling that I should be in jail or worse for the crimes I committed. I did my best to fit in with the other rangers, but I still felt like an outcast. Zach watched me like a hawk, not sure if he was ready to trust me entirely yet. The only one with blind faith in me was Kim. She stood by my side during my adjustment period and then when Rita and her new husband, Lord Zedd, stripped me of my powers. I felt even more useless then. She made sure to make me feel like I was still important and a part of the team.

Before my powers were destroyed, there was a time where they were faded. It was advised by Zordon, the mentor and creator of the Power Rangers, that I reserved my powers for when they would truly be needed. I felt like I was no longer part of the team. It seemed like I had been casted aside due to my ability to help like the others. I kept my distance, trying to stay out of their way. Kim found a way to bring me back to them though. She revealed to me her feelings and we kissed. It was the light I needed in my darkness. Soon, Zordon asked me to come back and fight until my powers were completely gone. It was hard to deal with, but we were all surprised by Zordon bringing me back, this time as the White Tigerzord Ranger.

Glancing down at the Power Coin, I couldn't help but think of Kimberly. I put the coin back in the box and shut it. Placing it on the desk, I grabbed the photo album and thumbed through it. Photos of my childhood were here, starting when I was fourteen. Some were of me at karate tournaments. Others were our group after I joined the Rangers. Towards the end, they were just of Kim and me. It was during our relationship together. Snap shots of the two of us at the beach, a film strip from a photo booth. The last picture was of her, sleeping under the covers in the bed we shared the last time I had seen her.

Shaking my head, I closed the album and put everything back in the box. I also tossed the green flannel in there. It was something I wore all the time when I was the green ranger and it was one of my favorite shirts. Standing, I shoved the box back into its hiding spot and headed back down to my living room to grade papers.


	4. Chapter 3

Kimberly

The night was quiet and still, something I was appreciating after the evening I just had. From an overflowing toilet to a cat fight breaking out at dinner, I was about ready to yank my hair out. I pretty much skipped out of the office when ten o'clock came. Like promised, Andrea came home with Mexican food. We ate, talking about the horrors of watching teenagers. She went to bed, but I found myself unable to sleep. Even after trying my best to coax myself into it, I found myself wide awake. So, I grabbed my jacket and decided on a walk.

Outside, I saw the sky was a dark purple color. Small twinkles of light were scattered across it, stars shining brightly. I smiled up at them as I slowly walked my way down the small alley between the dorm buildings. On the other side, there was a little patio area that over looked the highway below. There were some tables and chairs set up her along with a BBQ. Some nights, when it's really nice out, we will cook out with all the kids. It doesn't happen much, everyone always so busy with practice. It's usually something at the end of the season when the kids are getting ready to head home.

Sighing, I leaned against the railing the surrounded the patio area. It was mostly to keep the kids inside the campus area and not tumbling down the hill below. It was quite the ways down from here and I could see some late-night travelers driving on the highway. I wondered where they were going. Maybe they had lives where they could just up and go where ever they wanted at any time of night. Must be nice. I couldn't even think of the last time I had been out on the two passed ten o'clock at night. I knew it wasn't this year at least. Probably closer to when I was a participant on the team rather than a coach. When I was young and has a passion for life. Now, it mostly felt like I was going through the motions.

Not that I didn't have a passion for gymnastics. I always have. It's been something important to me since I was a kid. Being picked for the team was something that made one of my biggest dreams come true. The only problem was that I let it become my only dream. I moved here to Florida and gave up everything I had in California. Everything. I put so much time and energy into making this my career that I made no time for the other things I had going for me. It didn't matter now though. I was successful and had a place in this world. Isn't that what everyone wants?

The thought of Cindy came to mind. She had come home around curfew and had stopped by the office to tell me about her night. Tony had taken her out for dinner and a movie then they spent the night talking about the future. He told her he wanted to get married but he wanted to make sure that she was able to achieve her dreams before that could happen. When she spoke about him, this sweet dopey smile crossed her lips and her eyes dazed out. Tony was a great kid. He lived nearby with his parents and had worked with his father as our groundskeeper this past summer when Cindy first arrived. The two hit it off instantly and have been madly in love ever since. They were pretty serious but both of them had good heads on their shoulders. Well, for the most part. Cindy sometimes let her heart do the talking instead of her head. It was nothing I could blame her for though. As Andrea said, young love does some foolish things to people.

"You're gonna regret it if you don't go." A voice said in my head. It was warm and full of emotion. I had it memorized like a continuous looping that would keep playing. Shaking my head, I scoffed.

"Cause that's the only thing I'll regret." I muttered. Turning my head up, I looked at the sky. Being young and in love was something I had done many moons ago. At least, what felt like a lifetime ago. He had been sweet, courageous and not to mention easy on the eyes. Tommy Oliver was everything a girl could want in a guy. I had especially loved his long brown hair. It was the first thing I noticed about him when I saw him that fateful day. It was thick and made me a tad bit jealous with how it curled slightly. My brown hair always just seems to hang as straight as a board no matter what I do to it. And then his chocolate brown eyes. They always sparkled when he smiled, and they seemed to love looking at me whenever I was in the room.

I met Tommy when I was fifteen years old. He was the new kid at school, facing off against Jason in a karate tournament. Jason had been cocky that day, saying he was going to win. Turns out, he tied with Tommy who showed some amazing talent. I guess if you asked ten years ago if I thought it was love at first sight, I would have said absolutely. If you ask me now, I think my answer would be the same. It became even evident how special Tommy was when he jumped to defend my honor the next day when the school idiots were bothering me. He defended my honor and in turn, I asked him to hang out with my friends and I that afternoon.

And he never showed. It wasn't his fault though. It's quite complicated, really. How could I describe my time spent on the Power Rangers? One half of me would say it was a time consuming, dangerous mission that no kid should be asked to do. The other half would say it was the greatest experience of my life and I would do it again in a heartbeat. An evil alien queen known as Rita Repulsa was accidently freed from a capsule meant to imprisoner her for centuries. When she was released, she set her sights on Earth, in hopes of conquering it. When an intergalactic being known as Zordon learned of this, he knew he had to assemble a team of humans to fight her. That's when he zapped Jason, Trini, Billy, Zach and I to what was known as the Command Center. There, we met Zordon, the floating head in a tube that would become our leader as well as Alpha 5, his robotic assistant. With some hesitation (mostly on my part), we agreed to become the Power Rangers. We fought against Rita and whatever monster she had planned for the day. It was becoming routine, fitting it between homework and chores.

Soon, another Ranger appeared. This one was different though. The green ranger was out to destroy us and take down our defenses. He even broken in and tried to take Zordon out. He nearly succeeded with that plan. It didn't take long though until we figured out it was Tommy. She had placed an evil spell on him and was using him to wield the green Power Coin, the receptacle we used to use the power of the morphing grid. Even at 27, I still don't understand half the stuff that made us the Power Rangers. I guess it didn't matter now, though.

We were able to free Tommy from Rita's spell and he joined our team. His powers faded in and out though, making him weak at times. When it was deemed too dangerous for him to keep fighting with his weak powers, Zordon advised him to take some time away. During that time, Tommy and I became close. Really close. We admitted our feelings for one another and soon, we became an item. He joined our team again, Zordon desperate for help with Lord Zedd, a gross looking villain coming into the picture. Tommy's powers didn't last long, even with Zordon giving him some of his own. Once the green powers were gone, Tommy was forced to quit. It didn't last long, however. He returned as the White Ranger, powers developed by Zordon and Alpha to aid u with our fight against Lord Zedd and Rita.

My time on the Power Rangers was great. Granted, we were fighting deadly creatures and risking our lives each time, but I still found myself enjoying the fact I was helping the people of Angel Grove. It also helped that my boyfriend was our leader and my friends were fighting next to us. Jason, Trini and Zach ended up leaving the team Aisha, Adam and Rocky replacing them. Our team was still strong, and we all became quick friends. My life felt complete. I knew I was going to be happy with them by my side.

Sadly, all things must come to an end. Rita went with the brain washing trick again, this time controlling a foreign exchange student named Katherine Hibbard. She placed a spell on her, using her to attack my powers. Slowly, my power coin was killing me. It was like my life force was being drained from me no matter what we did. It was around that time that coach Schmidt came to Angel Grove scouting. He offered me a slot on the team and I knew then that I had no other choice but to give up my Power Coin. If I didn't, I was risking not only my own life but the lives of my friends and Tommy. We couldn't chance them using their powers to charge me anymore, especially during battle. It was sad, but Tommy told me that this was something that I dreamed of and I had no choice but to do it.

So, I did. I found myself on a plane for Florida. It was scary at first. I knew no one down here and my mother was in Paris, living with her new husband, Pierre. Everyone I loved was back home in Angel Grove, but they were all supportive of me. I received letters every single day and Tommy and I talked every night on the phone. That was something his mother was never happy about due to the phone bill, but I think Tommy would have worked three jobs if it meant talking to me. He was so supportive and doting, regardless of the face he was still fighting monsters every day. I would ask him about the fighting, but he never went into detail about it. I always thought he was trying to spare me of what I had given up. It didn't help though. I would hear about it on the national news at night or Aisha would tell me when I spoke to her.

As my first Pan Global games approached, I noticed that something changed. I'm not sure if it was my friends or myself, but the letters seemed to thin out. The phone calls between Tommy and I stopped being every night. Soon, they only seemed to be once or twice a week. I chalked it up to him being busy with school and Ranger duties. Aisha still called me every Sunday night though, something I knew I could count on. By then, Trini, Jason and Zach were heading home from their time at the Peace Conferences. They stopped in Florida to see me on a layover. It was something I really needed. It was nice seeing my friends that I was missing and talking about our time together as a team. They were off to better things; Trini accepted to Berkley for engineering, Zach at UCLA for music theory and Jason was going to be studying karate under the watchful eye of a sensei all the way from Asia. They were excited to be heading back to Angel Grove, something I was extremely jealous of.

The night before they were set to leave, I was lying in bed. I knew I wanted to quit. I wanted to tell Schmidt I had changed my mind and hop a plane with my friends back home. I tried calling Tommy to ask his advice, but he wasn't home. So, I called Aisha. It wasn't Sunday, but she was home, doing homework. Something was off in her voice. I could tell the moment she answered. When I asked her what was wrong, she was hesitant to tell me. Finally, she admitted to me that Kat and Tommy were spending a lot of time together. She also said she wasn't sure, but Rocky had said something about the two of them kissing. I was devastated. I denied it, saying it couldn't be true. But the more I thought about it, the more it made sense. His distance. Him never being home. He had started to move on, not wanting to wait for me to come home. After the denial disappeared, anger filled its place. A hot, deep anger. I got off the phone with Aisha and stewed about it all night. When the others came to see me before leaving, I didn't tell them what was going on. Jason could tell something was up, but they didn't have the time to question me.

Once they were gone, I decided to write a letter to Tommy. In the beginning, I was going to rip him a new one for what he had done to me. What he had done to us. He had just tossed our relationship to the side after being apart for only three months. How could he do that? But then, I decided to give him a taste of his own medicine. I told him that I had found someone else that I belonged with. Of course, this wasn't true, but it didn't matter to me. I wanted him to hurt. I wanted him to feel the pain I was feeling. It stung to know I was ending things but what other choice did I have? He didn't want to be with me anymore, obviously. Might as well let him be free to decide who he really wanted to be with. I was convinced he would get this letter in the mail and teleport here to win me back.

He didn't though. I waited a few days, knowing he would have gotten it by then. There was no sign of him. Not even a phone call. The heartbreak set in and I realized that he had decided who he wanted to be with and it wasn't me. I laid in bed and cried for a couple days, using my absences for the time being to do that. When I ran out of them, I dragged myself to practice. I put all of my effort into nailing my routine, hoping it get him off my mind. It worked. I did the best I had ever done and road the wave of success straight into the qualifying rounds of the Pan Global games. From there, I landed on the Olympic team.

Smiling a sad smile to myself, I wrapped my arms around me. My success was based off one of the dumbest things I had ever done. If anyone were to ask me what I would do with a time machine, it would be to go back and stop myself from writing that letter. I was so young and naïve. I never gave myself time to see the whole picture before acting. I spent all that time being angry that I wouldn't allow myself to realize that I had misjudged everything about Tommy and what Aisha had said.

A scratching noise behind me caught my attention, forcing me to turn around. I didn't see anything on the patio that would have caused the noise, the lights on the back of the buildings giving me some illumination to see. It happened again, this time coming from the alley. Stepping forward, I peered around to see what it could be. "Hello?" I called, thinking it was one of the kids out way past curfew. It happens sometimes, them thinking they can sneak passed the camera. It rarely works. No one answered as I stepped closer. The noise stopped so I stopped. Probably an animal or something.

"Hello, pinkie." A voice whispered in my ear. It was so close, I could feel the breath on my skin. Spinning on my heel, I took a fighting positioning. No one was there though. Shivers ran down my spine. I knew I had heard something. I had felt it. My eyes darted around, trying to see in the low light.

"Whose there?" I called, trying my best to not sound scared. It had been a long time since I had fought anything. I wasn't sure about my abilities now. "Listen, you don't know who you're fucking with." I said, trying to sound tough.

"Oh, yes I do, Kimberly." The voice said in my ear again. I spun around, this time finding a cloaked figure there. I let out a small gasp, holding my hands up to fight. I couldn't see a face under the black fabric and there was no skin showing. The arms raised and from the middle of the robe, a bright light began to form. It quickly grew as I turned to run up the alley. I was half way through it when I felt something slam into my back. It threw me forward, forcing the air from my lungs as I landed on the ground. I saw stars for a moment as I tried to remain conscious.

Rolling on my side, I gasped for air. My lungs welcomed it and the faint feeling ebbed away. I jumped to my feet, not wanting to be vulnerable for another attack. I was surprised to see I was no longer in the alley way. Instead, I was in a cell. It was dark, the only light coming from a floating orb on the other side of steel bars. Running over, I grabbed the bars and jiggled them. They didn't budge no matter how hard I pulled or push. I could see more cells as I looked around, but no one seemed to be in them.

"Let me out of here!" I screamed. The sound of laughter echoed around me, growing louder until I had to cover my ears. Where the hell was I?


	5. Chapter 4

Tommy

Over the course of the next two days, I merely went through the motions. I taught my classes (the kids were mostly checked out for the holidays anyway) and then I came home to mope. Was it useful? Not in the slightest. However, I was better than admitting that I had nothing else to do with my life since I was now divorced. Not that I had a lot going for me before that. When Trent and Kira were my students, I had more than most teachers on their plates. Before moving here to Reefside, I was working for a lab owned by Anton Mercer. He was developing some kind of technology that used the power of asteroids that were here around the time the dinosaurs were. Together, we discovered the dino gems, powerful little colored rocks that possessed the ability to tap into the morphing grid, the same kind of power I used when I was on the original Power Rangers. Something went haywire though, causing the destruction of the lab as well as the scientific mutilation of Anton.

Assuming he had died, I came to Reefside in hopes of finding the other dino gems. They had come up missing after the explosion. They were found but not by me. Kira and her two other classmates, Connor McKnight and Ethan James, found them while in detention. It wasn't one of my brightest ideas, but they happened upon them. When they picked them up, they took on the powers of the dino gems. Kira became the yellow ranger, accepting the power of the Pterazord based off the pterodactyl. Ethan, the blue ranger with the powers of the Tricerazord from the triceratops. Connor became the leader as the red ranger. His powers were of the Tyrannozord that came from the Tyrannosaurus.

Becoming a mentor for a team of ranger was the farthest thing on my mind until it actually came true. With the discovery of these dino gems, an evil monster was beginning to attack the city of Reefside. His name was Mesagog, unknown to me at the time was the alter ego of Anton Mercer. He had survived the explosion but was left with a tainted evil side of him. Almost like Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, he was fighting against the wishes of the dinosaur looking evil beast that was taking over his body. To make matters worse, he also had two lackies known as Elsa and Zelatrix. These two were out to destroy the world, including Mesagog. He was a ruthless leader over them and the two hoped to over throw him. Zeltrax was a lab assistant and my partner while working with Mercer by the name of Smitty. I had also assumed he had died but Mesagog had managed to save him. He transformed him into a cyborg who lacked all human emotions except anger. He blamed me for what happened to him back at the lab. He was set on seeing me dead, no matter the cost.

In hopes of trying to unlock the powers of the black dino gem, Mesagog captured me. He tried to use me to unleash the powers of the stone, but I managed to escape. When I did, I took the gem with me. By doing so, the dino gem accepted me and I took on the powers of the black dino gem. It was amazing to be back in the saddle ten years later and miraculously, I didn't feel like I was too old to be there. We were a team and the kids were great fighters. I had no doubt that we were going to be able to defeat Mesagog and give Reefside the heroes it needed.

That was until a boy by the name of Trent Mercer came into the picture. It was like a scene straight from my past. If I hadn't known any better, you would have thought someone repeated it for their sick amusement. Trent is Anton Mercer's adopted son. He stumbled upon the white dino gem in his father's lab, something Mesagog was hoping to infuse with his own body to build his power. When Trent touched it, its evil power took over him. This turned him into an evil Ranger, something I was all too familiar with. It was very surreal to be on this side of things, seeing a Power Ranger fighting against us without knowing who it was. At the time, Kira had confessed to our assistant Haley, that she had feelings for Trent. It was hard seeing her deal with the fact it was Trent we were fighting against. It was something that I knew one other person on this planet knew and I didn't have the option of reaching out to Kimberly for guidance.

We managed to help Trent fight those evil powers and he overcame them. He joined our team and together, we were able to save his father and bring down Mesagog. Elsa and Zeltrax were defeated as well, Elsa returning to her normal human form as my boss at the school. Zeltrax unfortunately could not be saved, Smitty falling to his demons. It was hard watching one of my friends die like that, somewhat by my hands. I had tried my damnedest to save him, but he refused to be saved. I had no choice. It was something I've fought with since it happened, the kids reassuring me it was something that had to happen. The dino gems were destroyed, letting the kids and I returned to our normal lives. They graduated high school and moved on with their lives while I stayed here. Ethan was a computer technician at Microsoft and Connor was steadily working his way through the minor soccer leagues. Last I had heard from him, he had some major scouts eyeing him for national teams. The kids are successful, something I like to think came from their time as Rangers. Though it could never be on a resume, it was something that stayed with you, no matter what.

It was also the final straw in my marriage with Katherine. Well, one of them. Besides from the part I was never in love with her, she hated the idea of me being a Power Ranger again. We fought about it constantly. At the time, she was still in school. She would travel back and forth from LA and NYC, attending classes. Whenever she was home, she would get upset when I had to go out and save the world or be in the lab down in the basement trying to find ways to stop the next attack. It caused a huge wedge between the two of us because being a Ranger was so important to me. It wasn't just something that happened and passed. To me, it was destiny that it fell into my lap again. I had more colors under my belt than a rainbow almost, something I took a huge pride in. She didn't see it that way. She thought I was doing it on purpose, trying to find a way to be on the team no matter what. Part of me knew that she was kind of right. Being a Ranger was a part of me. Something that I would sign up for again and again if I could. If it paid some real money, I would make it a career. Sadly, saving the world in spandex didn't pay well.

The sound of footsteps echoed off the walls around me as I walked. Everything felt out of focused, as if I was looking through fogged over glasses as I walked. Around me, I reached out in hopes of grabbing something to keep me steady. The only thing there was a brick wall that was ice cold to the touch. It made my fingers numb when they grazed it. The surface was rough as I ran my hand over it. The only thing I could see was black. There was no light to be found, no matter how far I walked. It felt like miles, my feet growing tired under me. My skin felt tight, like it was being compressed into my body. I was having trouble breathing so I did my best to stay calm, allowing my oxygen into my lungs.

"Tommy Oliver. How I've missed you." A voice said in my ear. I stopped, elbowing back in instinct. It didn't collide with anyone though, surprising me. Looking over my shoulder, I saw more darkness. There was nothing to be seen.

"Tommy…" The voice called in the darkness. Spinning on my heel, I did my best to try and see through the thick black around me to find the source. "Tommy…"

"Whose there?" I called out. My voice echoed, vibrating throughout my body. It felt like someone had handed me a microphone with the bass turned all the way up. What the hell was going on? Where was I? Who was that?

"Tommy…" The hair on the back of my neck seemed to stand up on end as hot breath touched the skin there. I jumped, my hands up in front of me to fight but it was not use. It was too dark to see what was going on. Whoever was hiding in this deep, dark emptiness wasn't letting me see them. I punched in front of my body blindly but made no connection. It felt like I was swinging into water, my actions slowed down as I tried to move. What the hell was going on?

In the distance, I heard a pounding noise. It sounded like it was coming at me from straight ahead. I did my best to run forward but I couldn't be sure if I was moving at all. The pounding continued but it didn't seem to be getting closer. I needed to get there. It might have some answers about what was going on and how to get out of here. I ran faster, sweat pouring down my face. It was no use though. I was running in place, no matter how hard I tried to get further. I reached for the walls again, my hand touching something metal. It was hard and felt like a bar that ran up and down. I pulled but nothing happened.

"TOMMY!" A different voice yelled, and it caused me to jump right out of my sleep. Sweat poured down my face and neck, drenching the grey cotton tank top I was wearing. My heart was racing in my chest and I looked around my room, looking for the source of the voice. There was none to be found though. Who had called my name like that? I know I had heard it. Running a hand over my face, I cleared the sweat from my forehead. Had it all been a nightmare? The voices I had heard were so real. It was the damn dream again. The same one I've been having on a continuous loop for two days now. I wish I could make heads or tails of it. Every time I try though, I come up empty. It was the same each night; I would find myself in a mostly dark room without the ability to see what was going around me. I would try to feel my way around, but it didn't make a difference. Then the voice would start, and I would try to run. The metal bar was different tonight, though. That had never happened before. I needed to get a god damn handle on this shit. The lack of sleep was beginning to affect me, and it felt like I couldn't focus. My brain resembled that of a gross, soggy sponge. Somehow, I had to find a way to wring it out.

The pounding continued, and I realized it was coming from my front door down stairs. Glancing at the clock, I saw it was nearing 2 am. The pounding seemed frantic, telling me whoever it was, they were desperate to wake me. Tossing my blanket off of me, I stood from the bed and made my way down the stairs. Pressing my face against the door, I looked through the peephole. To my surprise, I saw it was Jason Lee Scott standing there. He pounded again, the door vibrating against my cheek. Grabbing the doorknob, I pulled the door open. The night air was chilly for December, making my bare arms shiver as I looked at him.

"Jase, it's too early for this." I muttered, wiping the sleep from my eyes. Jason shook his head, brushing passed me as he entered my house. I shut the door, running a hand over my face to help me wake up more. At this rate, I'd be lucky to get a couple more hours in before first period tomorrow. He was dressed in his leather jacket, a red t-shirt and black jeans. He shook his head again. I wasn't aware that he would be stopping by. Last I knew, he was riding his bike to Oregon to see his girlfriend, Trini Kwan. She would be coming back with him to spend the holidays, the event of the season in his mind. I was also going to be joining them at the end of next week for the holidays. It surprised me to find him here. Now.

"She's gone, Tommy." He said, pacing the floor of the living room. "I got the call tonight. I've been trying to reach her since then and nothing. Her friends haven't seen her, her roommates haven't. It's like she just vanished." I raised an eyebrow at him, confused. The worry on his face was evident, the crease in his forehead deep.

"Who's missing? Is it Trini? Is she alright" I asked, holding up my hands. He needed to slow down and explain himself if he wanted me to understand. I had never seen him look this worried before. Not even when we were on the Ranger team together. He always kept his cool. Now, he looked like he was gearing up to battle his biggest fear.

"Kim." He replied, stopping to look at me. "The gym called and said she hadn't shown up for work in two days. Tommy, Kimberly is missing."

"What?" I asked, shaking my head. "There has to be a mistake. Maybe she's sick or something. There could be a million reasons why she hasn't show up to work." I added. Jason shook his head.

"They checked her room. She wasn't there, and she left everything behind. Her keys, her purse, her phone. Everything. This isn't like her, man. It's like she just vanished into thin air. I even called her mother and she said she hasn't heard from her in a few days either."

"Did she have a boyfriend or anything? She might be staying there." I suggested, a feeling rising in my gut.

"No. She hasn't been seeing anyone. Besides, she would have told Trini or Aisha if she was. None of this adds up. Tommy, what if something happened to her?" He put his hands in his pockets. "Kim wouldn't just go somewhere without at least letting someone know."

"Let me call the school and let them know I'm taking the rest of the week off." I said, turning and heading for my house phone. "You see about getting us a flight down."

Three short hours later, Jase and I found ourselves on a flight to Orlando, Florida. From there, we drove the two hours to where the gym was located. The sun was rising as we drove the highway that the GPS instructed us to take. I did my best to keep my eyes on the road, the steering wheel in hand. Jason sat next to me in the Jeep Wrangler, his jaw clenched. In my mind, I tried to think of any kind of explanation that would make it reasonable as to why Kimberly wasn't at work or her apartment. That maybe she did have a boyfriend that she was with right now. But why wouldn't she bring her cell phone or her car with her? It made no sense not to. At least her phone, anyway. Fear was beginning to set in as we passed countless human trafficking billboards and signs on our way to Schmidt Gym. I prayed to God that that wasn't the case.

"Stop it." Jason's voice said, bringing me out of my thoughts.

"What?" I asked, unsure of what he meant.

"Stop thinking of every worst thought there is to be had right now. I know you." He replied, leaning his head back against the head rest.

"Well, it's kinda hard when it's broadcasted everywhere." I mumbled, turning the dial of the radio. I wasn't in the mood for music, but it was something to do rather than sitting in my own thoughts.

"Did the divorce go through?" He questioned, glancing at me. I nodded, remembering that I hadn't spoken to him since I received the papers the other day. It was something I was trying to suppress, knowing it would be the most asked question at Christmas.

"Yeah. It was official on Monday. Congrats to me, right?"

"Well, it's better than being married to someone you don't want to be married to." He pointed out. "Does Kim know that you were getting a divorce?"

"No. I haven't spoken to her." I said, knowing full well that he knew that.

"You two still aren't talking?"

"Why do we go through his conversation each time we see each other?" I raised an eyebrow at him. A smile tugged at the corner of his lips as he shrugged his shoulder.

"Amuse me."

"No. We haven't since Muranthias. It wasn't the greatest conversation either." Running a hand through my short hair, I bit my lip. That was one way to put it.

"Maybe this is your shot! We'll find Kimmy, you two can reconnect and then we can have a good laugh about everything at Christmas over Zach's special spiked eggnog." Jason said, patting my shoulder. I turned off the highway, listening to the commands of the GPS.

"What if we don't find her?" I asked, softly. "I mean it, Jase. What if something is seriously wrong?"

"We'll find her, Tommy. We always do."


	6. Chapter 5

A/N - Sorry for such a delay between chapters. Work has been CRAZY! But I am happy to post this as an apology. It's based off the Turbo Movie but not perfectly. If I get anything too wrong, please let me know! As always, thank you for the reviews and please keep them coming! You guys are the best!

* * *

 **Kimberly – The Past**

"You sure about this?" I asked, leaning back in the passenger seat of Jason's truck. He scoffed, rolling his eyes before adjusting his sunglasses.

"For the millionth time since I've picked you up from the airport, yes. I told you. Everyone is going to love seeing you! Especially for such a good cause. This tournament means a lot to the orphanage and I think seeing a familiar face in the crowd will help the guys get more pumped up."

"Everyone?" I questioned, glancing out the window. I could see the Pacific Ocean to my right, the sun beginning to rise over its surface.

"Once you and Tommy talk, everything will be fine. He's with Kat now. He's got no reason to hold anything against you for breaking up. Besides, you're full grown adults. I'm sure the two of you can get passed this."

"I hope so. Tommy and I were so close before everything happened. I know we might not be on that same level, but I would hate to have him hate me." Sighing, I glanced back over at Jason. "Think it'll be weird for Kat?"

"Nah. She knows that it's over between the two of you. And if it is, she can get over herself." He smirked, shrugging his shoulder.

"You always were quite the gentleman." I said flatly. He let out a laugh that caused me to smile. It felt weird heading back to Angel Grove. It had been so long since I had been back. When Jason called me up at my dorm, telling me he had an extra ticket for some team competition in Angel Grove, I was hesitant. He insisted that I fly home, surprising everyone with my arrival. It took some convincing, but I agreed. It had been enough time since I had seen them. He reassured me like he was now that Tommy was passed that. Granted, it irked me that he was with Katherine now. Didn't take him very long to fill that slot. It made me wonder if he had filled it before it was empty. That didn't matter though. He was happy, and I was on my way to my first time at the Olympics. Practice starts in a couple weeks and Schmidt told me to go enjoy myself for the week. I couldn't pass up on the offer.

"Did you tell Trini you were coming back home?" He asked, trying his best to be nonchalant about it.

"I did. She couldn't take time off from school though. She did say to tell everyone 'hello.' Of course, if you just called and told her how much you love her, you would know this." I teased. Shaking his head, he adjusted his hands on the steering wheel.

"I'm not in love with her. I just like her. A lot." He replied.

"Right. Right."

"You're one to talk…" He trailed off. I glared at him, crossing my arms over my chest. "Oh what? I thought we were playing dirty here."

"I'm not in love with anyone." I stated.

"Sure, you aren't. I mean, it's not like you are hiding inner feelings for a guy you've been afraid to contact over the last two years. That would be a ridiculous idea."

"Jason, it's not like that." I tried to reason. "We had our time together. That's it."

"So, you have no feelings for Tommy anymore? None. None at all." He asked. I didn't answer, unsure if I could bring myself to lie to my best friend. He gave me a side glance and knew he could tell from the expression on my face. "You could just tell him, you know." He offered. I let out a chuckle, shaking my head.

"That's never gonna happen." I replied. He took the exit for Angel Grove, moving with the flow of traffic.

"Why not? You never know. He might still feel the same way about you."

"Does he?" I questioned, feeling that Jason might have more information than he was letting on before.

"I don't know. It's not exactly something I can just ask him. But, he asks me about you all the time. There might be something there. Who knows with Tommy. One way to find out would be to ask him."

"Nope. No way. It would be wrong of me to tell him after all this time. Especially now that he's with Kat. What kind of person does that?"

"An honest one."

"I'll tell Tommy right after you tell Trini how you feel about her. Deal?" I looked over at him. Turning his head so he could see me, he thought for a moment before nodding.

"Deal." He said, holding his hand out for us to shake. We shook for a moment as he rolled into Angel Grove.

"So, what do you have planned before the tournament?"

"I was thinking we could go scuba diving. I've got some gear my buddy is letting me borrow. Figured it might be something to keep us preoccupied while everyone else is getting ready for the tournament."

"Sounds good to me."

"We have to get this hatch open." Jason stated, examining the round metal door in front of us. I raised my eyebrow, giving him a look of confusion.

"But that would let all the water in." I replied. "I love water as much as the next girl, but I think that our deaths would defeat the purpose of trying to escape."

"If we get this open, we can swim up to the surface before this crazy bitch sacrifices us to whatever the hell she has planned." Looking around, he searched for something under the water. It pooled at our ankles, my feet aching from the cold water.

"We don't know how far down we are though. And we'd have to make it to the surface with one breath?" He nodded, giving me a serious look. "Oh, boy."

"What other options do we've got?" Bending down, he found a metal rod and began to jimmy it between the door and the wall. I grabbed at the lug nuts, hoping to twist them off in my hand. I knew we shouldn't have gone scuba diving this morning. I had almost told Jason that it was a bad idea when I woke up. He was excited though. It was something he was looking forward to. Besides, it wasn't his fault that the sea pirate Divatox was lurking nearby. We just happened to show up on her radar. I wasn't sure what her deal was as Jason wasn't familiar with her either. What we had overheard was that she was travelling to somewhere called Muranthias, so she could marry someone. She was planning on using us as a wedding present. It made my skin crawl and laugh want to escape my lips at the same time. How was it that I'm back in town for 12 hours and I'm captured by someone evil? Did I have damsel in distress tattooed on me somewhere?

"Fuck!" Jason exclaimed, the bar slipping from his fingers. When he did, the door gave slightly, and water began to pour in from under the door. He shook his hand, blood coming from his finger he must have hit.

"You alright?" I called, pulling at the bolts. He nodded, slamming the rod against the door.

"Yeah. Keep going. We can get this off." He jammed the rod into the top of the door and put all his weight on it to wedge it in there. I looked around for something else that I could use to do the same thing. I came up short, deciding to keep working at the nuts. The door whined as it opened more, three of the bolts popping off along it. Water rushed in faster and I noticed the room began to fill at a fast pace. "See? I told you." Jason said, smiling smugly.

"All I see if the water getting high faster." I replied, rolling my eyes at him.

"So ungrateful. Geesh. I'll keep doing this. You work on getting Bulk and Skull out of their cell." He shot over his shoulder, inserting the bar in the crack again. Nodding, I walked over to the other door in the room. Bulk and Skull looked at me confused from the window above it. Their white hair still threw me off some but not as much as the German they were speaking. I wasn't sure what happened to them, but I was hoping whatever it was ended up being reversible. There was a wheel on the door and it turned in my hands.

"It opens when you turn the wheel. Should I let them out now?" I called.

"Not yet. I don't want them to panic while we are trying to do this. Come help me-SHIT!" He exclaimed as the force of the water rushing in pushed the door open just enough to allow huge amounts of water to gush in. He shoved his body against it, trying to seal it up again but the current was to strong.

"Jason!" I exclaimed, running over to help him. I pushed my entire body against it but it barely budged. The water was steadily raising now. I could feel it lapping up my thighs. "What are we going to do?"

"We gotta get it off so we can get out before the room fills up." He called over the water. Grabbing the lip of the door, he anchored his feet against the wall and pulled. IT creaked and moved some but not enough to let us through.

"Hurry, Jason!" I said, a slight panic setting in.

"I'm trying!" He called back. I did the same as him, gripping the metal and pushing with my legs. It dug into my hands and I could feel it move slightly. Jason repeated his actions and it moved more but then stopped. "Damn it. We're gonna have to wait until the pressure is the same on both sides."

"Wouldn't that mean the water would have to cover the door?" I asked, eyeing the distance between the top of the door and the ceiling. It wasn't much, a foot or so. He nodded, frowning.

"If we can get the rest of the bolts off, we can get it off faster."

"Where's the pipe?" I asked. He looked around. He must have dropped it in his scurry to hold the door closed.

"Good idea!" Holding the door, he turned and dove into the water. There was a splash and he disappeared for a moment. He resurfaced, holding the pipe in hand. Wading through the now waist high water, he started pounding at the nuts again. The noise echoed off the walls around us, vibrating in my ears. Behind us, Bulk and Skull chattered away in German. "Will you two shut up?!" Jason yelled over the sound of rushing water. He broke off two bolts, leaving three. There were two on my side and one on the very bottom. I grabbed the top one and twisted, it breaking off with little effort. The door shoved forward, almost sending me flying as it hung on by the two remaining bolts.

"Hand me the pipe!" I yelled, the water now roaring. He handed it to me as the level grew to almost my neck. "I don't like how high this water is!"

"We can do this." He answered back. Nodding, I smashed the bolt with the pipe. It clanked but made no movement. Gripping the pipe tightly, I swung again. Half of the nut broke, leaving it hanging on by slight threads. I mustered up all the strength I had and smashed it again. With a loud clatter, it broke.

"I got it!" I yelled triumphantly.

"Grabbed the door and push it towards you." He called. Nodding, we both grabbed onto the metal slab and shoved it as hard we could to the right. It twisted, moving like it was on a hinge. "Little bit more!" Jason strained. Letting out a yell, I forced the plate more. Finally, it moved enough to let us through. The water was nearing the ceiling now.

"We gotta get out of here." I said, floating in the water.

"Let's get Bulk and Skull then we can get out." Jason dove under the water and I followed after him. It was dark under the water, flashes of some kind of light illuminating the room now and then. Jason reached the handle before me, giving it a turn. The water held it in place. He motioned me to help and I grabbed it as well. Together, we opened the door and Bulk and Skull swam out. The four of us broke the surface again, gasping for breath.

"Jase, the water." I said, trying to stay afloat.

"Alright. Everyone needs to take a deep breath." He said, locking eyes with me. Bulk and Skull seemed to understand, pacing their breathing. Opening my mouth, I took a couple of deep breaths before one very large one. The four of us dove under the water and towards the opening. Jase helped Bulk and Skull through, the two of them disappearing up the tunnel. Jase motioned me to follow. I could already feel the burn in my lungs. I kicked my feet, following the two before me. Suddenly, my body jerked. I tried again but something was holding me back. Frantically, I searched to see what was doing this. My eyes landed on my shirt that was snagged on the bottom bolt. Jason appeared next to me, trying his best to pull me free. My lungs were burning more now as I tugged along with him. The fabric tore, and I lunged forward. I kicked and swam like hell, heading towards the end of the tunnel.

I could see light, telling me I was nearing the ocean. The air was vanishing from my lungs. I'm not going to make it. I knew it. I knew there was no way I would be able to make it to the surface alive this way. Flashing of my life came to mind as I swam. I saw my family, my childhood with my parents. Going to school with Trini, Jason, Zach and Billy. Going to high school and meeting Aisha, Rocky and Adam. Becoming a Power Ranger. Tommy. Tommy flashed through my mind like a slide show. When we first met, our first kiss. Our entire relationship. I kicked harder, clawing at the tunnel. I made it into the open water, the surface above me. Tommy. I would never see him again. This would be how I died. They might never find my body. He's never going to know how much I love him.

No, I thought. I can't die like this. The edges of my vision began to darken as I blacked out.


	7. Chapter 6

**A/N:** Here's another chapter! Thanks for the reviews. I own nothing involved with the Power Rangers but a mere obsession. :)

* * *

 **Tommy – The Past**

"The image is still too fuzzy to make out a proper picture." Alpha stated, pressing buttons on the control panel.

"Whatever Lerigot is seeing, it's making him terribly upset." Kat said softly, placing a hand gingerly on the furry little creature's arm. He thrashed on the table, kicking his feet. I frowned, wondering what the hell Divatox was up to.

"Hello, Zordon." A woman's voice said as the image on the screen cleared. Divatox was perched on a steel cage door, fixing her makeup. She was in the god-awful outfit she wore that reminded me of something a futuristic stripper would wear. Her long hair was pulled back in a pony tail and behind her, I could see another creature that resembled Lerigot. I could tell this one was female and in her arms, there was a baby version of their kind. She looked terrified, anger building in the pit of my stomach. Lerigot began to thrash more. "I know you can hear me, so listen well. Lerigot must surrender. Say hello to Lerigot's family. Don't you just want to pinch those adorable little cheeks?"

"Stop it!" Kat exclaimed, trying to soothe Lerigot. "Look what it's doing to him."

"Bring him to me." Divatox said. Leave it to her to target smaller beings to gain something for herself. It was something Rita and Zedd would have done in a heartbeat. I was slightly shocked they weren't hanging in the rafters somewhere, helping her plot this. "Bring him to me. Oh, and by the way, as a token of my appreciation, I'll spare a couple of your favorite humans."

"What?" Adam whispered to Tanya, giving her a side glance. My chest tightened, and I quickly wondered who it could be. Could she be bluffing? How wouldn't we know that she had someone?

"They certainly aren't much to look at, but my sensors tell me they were once one of your own." The screen changed, and we suddenly saw a mostly dark room. Purplish light seemed to illuminate it as two figures dressed in wet suits stood from a floor covered in a few inches of water. The one closest to the camera shifted, pulling their mask off. It revealed long brown hair, their back towards the camera. "Oh, what do you call yourselves? Right. Power Rangers." As she said this, the figure turned and ran a hand through her hair. I felt all the breath disappear inside of me as my eyes landed on the face of Kimberly.

"Kimberly." I whispered, my vision tunneling so all I could see was the screen. It was the first I had seen of her in almost two years. Even in the pale light, I could make out her soft features. Uncertainty was in her eyes as she looked around her surroundings. Kim was here. She was back. And in the hands of Divatox, using her as bait to get Lerigot and his power. I shook my head, my drying hair moving around my face. Kim had no powers. She was in danger. There had to be a way to get her out of there. Kim moved and behind her, I saw Jason. It gave me some comfort, knowing she wasn't there alone but not enough to make me feel easy about it at all.

"Tommy?" A voice said gently next to me and I suddenly realized that Kat was trying to get my attention. Looking down, I saw she was holding my hand and looking at me with concern. "Are you alright?"

"Bring me Lerigot or his little family and your friends won't make it to see another day." Divatox chimed, the image going back to her. "That's enough. Put the helmet back on."

"Wait!" I said, stepping forward. A guard behind Lerigot's wife placed something on her head and the image scrambled until it was gone. "Fuck." I muttered under my breath.

"How did this happen?" Tanya asked, crossing her arms over her chest. "I mean, how did Divatox get them?" The petite African American woman exchanged glances with Kat who looked uneasily in my directions. I wanted to roll my eyes, but I knew it wouldn't help my situation. We needed to get Kim and Jason out of there. Now.

"Zordon, where would she take them?" I asked, shifting so I was looking up at our mentor. His floating head image peered down at me.

"Her ship has sent us coordinates for the beach. They are requesting the exchange of Lerigot for Kimberly and Jason at that location." He replied, his voice booming. Running a hand through my hair, I began to pace the room.

"Kimberly and Jason were Rangers before, man. They'll be able to stand their own until we can get them." Adam said, trying his best to reassure me. Behind them, I saw that Lerigot and Alpha were speaking in a language I couldn't understand.

"They can understand each other?" Tanya asked.

"Yes. As all good friends do." Zordon replied. A feeling of guilt hit me square in the stomach. Kimberly was in danger. What if something happened to her while she was there? We haven't spoken in so long. After I opened that letter at the Youth Center, the last thing I wanted to do was confront her about this other guy. All this time, I did my very best to not imagine her with someone else she thought was better than me. My self-esteem couldn't take the constant blows. We had never made amends. What if I don't get the chance to and my stupid pride is to blame?

"We'll get to the meeting spot. Once we get Kimberly and Jason, we'll get Lerigot's family back." I stated, looking around the group. Kat went to speak but stopped, choosing not to. Everyone nodded, an unspoken air hung around us as I turned and headed out of the room to get ready to go.

Night was beginning to fall as we helped Lerigot climb out of the back of Adam's truck. It had been the easiest vehicle to get him into and he was very sluggish with his movements. Both Tanya and Kat had to hold him as we walked along the edge of the rock formation that over looked the beach. My eyes scanned the horizon, looking for any sign of Divatox, Kimberly or Jason. There was nothing though. Nothing out of the ordinary besides the alien walking with us. In the back of my mind, I urged them to move faster but I knew it was unfair. Lerigot could only move so much, his powers weakened due to the space between him and his wife. He was doing the best he could to try and save the woman he loved. A sour feeling formed in my stomach at that thought.

"There." Adam said, pointing off into the distance. I welcomed the mental interruption, spotting a submarine propped up on land about a hundred yards away. It resembled that of a giant metal fish, large fins behinds it that looked as if they could pierce through anything.

"It's ugly." Tanya mumbled, helping Lerigot stand between her and Kat. The back of the ship opened, and metal clad figures shot out of it on jet skis. They blasted into the ocean, playing in the surf on the motorized water vehicles. I could see a larger boat between them, a larger figure on it. All of them turned and headed for the beach, pulling up on the sand. The figure on the boat was a pasty white color, wearing an empire coat that reminded me of the Revolutionary War. It stuck up high in the back, just a few inches above his oblong shaped head. Even in the darkness, I could tell he was nothing pretty to look at. My eyes suddenly caught something on the boat near his feet. It was two figures in wet suits, just like the ones Kimberly and Jason had been wearing.

"Send Lerigot down!" The beast called out, his voice echoing off the rocks around us.

"No!" I answered, cupping my hands around my mouth. "Bring our friends closer first." He let out a frustrated growl, stomping his foot.

"You have no choice, humans!" He stood up from the seat he was perched in. "This is as close as you get. Now sent the wizard down!"

"I don't like this." Adam said softly towards me. I nodded, feeling the same way. "We should try to stall them until we can figure something out."

"Yeah. I think maybe you're right." I replied. On my other side, I noticed the girls were searching around them.

"Lerigot's gone!" Kat exclaimed, gripping my arm. I turned to, looking where he had just been standing. Sure enough, he was no longer there. He was nowhere behind us either, the four of us spinning in place to search. "Lerigot! Come back!" Kat called, facing the beach. I glanced down and saw the wizard, making his way down the sand. He stopped and turned back towards us, giving a small wave.

"Come back!" I yelled out. He couldn't just hand himself over like this. IT would give this ugly fuck a reason to not give Kimberly back. Lerigot turned and continued his walk towards the boats.

"That's right. Come here you little furball." The figure said. "Come to Eldgar." Well, at least it had a name now. Two of the metal cladded minions helped Lerigot climb into the boat.

"There!" I yelled. "You have what you came for. Let our friends go!"

"Swim for them!" He replied, giving a little bow. He brought the boat back to life and it lurched off the sand. The jet skis followed, them heading out to sea.

"No!" I called out. Leaping forward, Adam and I jumped off the rock ledge and landed on the sandy beach below. I stumbled a bit but found myself sprinting towards the water regardless. I heard Adam and the girls behind me as I was Eldgar pull the boat to a stop. There was movement on board and suddenly, they shoved the figures in the wet suits off the boat. Neither gave up a fight and my heart sank as they bobbed face down in the water. I dove into the water as soon as I waded in deep enough and swam my way towards the figures. I could feel Adam on my right, his strokes vibrating around my feet.

"Tommy, wait!" He called out as I reached the first figure.

"Please be okay." I whispered to myself, grabbing it by the arm. It was much light than I thought it would be as I rolled it over. The head detached as I did so, and I saw that it was nothing more than a mannequin head attached with tape. "It's fake!" I exclaimed in frustration. I flung the dummy head into the water before heading towards the other one.

"Tommy!" Adam yelled, reaching out for me. We have to go back."

"I need to check the other one!" I said over my shoulder. I reached the other figure and like the first, the vacant stare of a mannequin looked at me as I rolled it over. "FUCK!" I yelled, shoving it away from me. I started swimming in the direction of the boats. "I have to go after them."

"They're gone, Tommy! C'mon!" Adam pleaded, grabbed the back of my shirt. He pulled me back as I tried to fight against him. I shook my head, seeing the submarine pull away from the shore and heading out to the ocean.

"No! We have to get them!" I said, my eyes blurring. I wasn't sure if it was sea water or tears.

"They're gone." Adam repeated, swimming towards shore.

"Tommy, I don't want to leave you…" Kimberly's word repeated in my head as I sat in my room of the Command Center, perched on the side of my bed. We had been so close. Who knows if she had been in that little dingy or not? Maybe if I had reached it in time, she would be here where it was safe and not on her way to a different dimension. Again, the infamous Tommy Oliver managed to screw up. It was something I was so good at, I should have a degree in it. It made my stomach hurt at the idea of it. Why could life just be simpler? Maybe if I hadn't been a Power Ranger, things wouldn't be this way. Or if Kimberly had stayed here, this wouldn't have happened. But it was happening, and I had to figure out a way to stop it.

"Hey." A small voice said from the doorway of my room. Looking up, I saw Adam standing there. Like me, he had changed into dry clothes after our return and he had a small smile of sympathy on his lips. "Can I come in?"

"Sure." I replied, giving him a nod. He walked in, closing the door behind him. Walking over to the silver chair in the corner, he sat in it backwards facing me. "Look, I'm sorry about what happened out there." He waved his hand at me.

"Don't worry about it. Believe me. If it were Tanya out there, I would be doing the same thing." He said. I was a little surprised by his answer. It hadn't been a secret that he liked her. We all knew it. I had just never heard him admit it out loud before. "What? Aren't we being honest here?"

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"C'mon, Tommy. This is Kimberly we're talking about. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out."

"It's not like that." I lied, and I knew it was a lie. My feelings for Kimberly were just as alive as they were since the day she left for Florida. No matter what I did or how hard I tried to focus my efforts into my newly formed relationship with Kat, my heart still beat for the original Pink Ranger.

"I was there, Tommy." He pointed out. "I saw that frantic look in your eye when you reached for that body. I was worried to, but your face said it all." Guilt filled my chest as I glanced down at my hands in my lap.

"I know." I whispered. "It was like before when Zedd had her. All I could focus on was whether she was okay or not."

"We're gonna get her back." He said. "And Jason. And Lerigot and his family. I promise. We're the Power Rangers. It's what we do."

"Until it isn't." I said, standing. Shoving my hands in my pockets, I paced the flower. "Do you ever think of life after the Rangers? Like what you would do?"

"Sometimes. I figure college is a good start. Do you?"

"No." I said honestly, looking at him. "When I look to the future, I see myself as a Ranger still. What the hell does that mean? Ranger duties are supposed to come and go. How is it that I can't picture my life without it?"

"You've been a Ranger for a long time, Tommy. Sometimes, we have trouble letting go of something when it's been there for so long." He offered. I shrugged my shoulders.

"Kat wants us to leave the team." I said in a quiet voice.

"What?" He asked.

"She told me the other night. She thinks she's ready to leave the team. She wants to pursue dancing. If she leaves, she wants me to go with her." Adam stood, letting out a sigh.

"Is that what you want?" He asked. I shook my head.

"No. I told you. Being a Ranger is a part of me and I don't think I could let this go yet. What the hell am I supposed to do though? She wants us to move on with the next chapter of our lives."

"You've gotta be honest with her and yourself, man. I mean, everything happens for a reason. Maybe that's why Kimberly is back here all of a sudden. Maybe it was meant for her to come back when you're feeling this way."

"What about Kat though?" I questioned.

"You're not doing her any favors like this." He replied. Clapping me on the back, he smiled. "How about we save the day and then you can figure out which girl it is you want standing in your corner?"


	8. Chapter 7

A/N: Sorry for such a delay! Things at work have been crazy with Thanksgiving approaching but I did want to upload a chapter tonight for you all patiently waiting! As always, thank you all from the bottom of my nerdy heart for the lovely reviews. I do hope you are honestly enjoying this as things beginning to fall into motion of where this will be heading.

Please remember to R&R!

* * *

 _ **Kimberly**_

The loud clanking of the metal bars of my cell awoke me and I scurried to my feet. The fear in my chest vanished though when I saw it was the usual figure standing there, a metal tray in his hands. He resembled that of a large white rat, his ears long and pointy with wisps of white hair behind them. He wore a long blue apron on the front of him and he hummed to himself as he set the tray on the small wooden stool in the corner of the cell. "Good morning, Miss Kimberly. I hope you are hungry today." He said, his voice squeaky. "You didn't eat yesterday, and it worries me."

"If you let me go, I'll eat all you want." I said, standing on the opposite side of the cell as him. He looked pretty harmless, only coming up to my shoulder if that, but I wasn't sure if he was as timid as that made him seem. Sighing, he shook his head and clasped his long-fingered hands behind his back.

"I'm very sorry but I am unable to do that. Please eat. I've brought you something I've read the humans on your planet enjoy." Well, it explained whether I was on Earth or not. I had a hunch I wasn't in Kansas anymore, but Toto hadn't stopped by to tell me quite where I had ended up. There were no windows in or around my cell, the only light coming from the floating orbs. "Are you cold? Perhaps I could get you more blankets."

"Please, just go." I muttered, turning away from him. It irked me how nice the guy was being. The first time he had showed up at my cell door, I had nearly clobbered him with the stool. He had been quick though and he managed to disarm me before I could make an escape. He introduced himself as Hermes and that if I needed anything to make my time here more comfortable, all I had to do was ask. This guy belonged on the staff for Trump Towers rather than caring for prisoners where ever the hell I was.

"As you wish. I will see you for dinner." He left with a brisk walk, locking the door behind him as he went. I heard his boots as he disappeared up the long hallway. My stomach growled as the smell of maple wafted throughout the cell. I didn't want to eat. I didn't know if I could trust him or whoever was holding me here. What if they had done something to the food? I couldn't just go out on blind faith here that they wouldn't. My stomach burned with hunger though. It had only been a day and a half since I was taken. I needed to hold out longer. I eyed the tray, however, and saw that it was a bowl of oatmeal and two pieces of almost black toast. Pats of butter were on the side of the toast along with a glass of water. It looked like a bad school breakfast but to me, it resembled that of a feast.

Stepping closer, I considered it for a minute. My stomach was practically howling now, begging for food. Reaching out, I picked up the top piece of toast and examined it. It didn't look dangerous. I brought it to my nose and sniffed. It smelt like burnt toast. Taking a deep breath, I nibbled on a piece of it. It tasted normal and I took a bigger bite out of it. I ate the whole piece before I could stop myself. I found myself having the same internal battle about the oatmeal but ended up caving for that as well. It was delicious though a bit thick for my liking. It made me feel full though, something I was grateful of. I felt a bit better now, the nauseas feeling from before not as strong. It had apparently been from hunger, I decided as I sipped the water from the cup. I finished it and slid the empty tray and bowl through the bars of the cell for when Hermes came back.

I needed to find a way out of here. I had spent all day yesterday and the night before trying to find a way to break out. I was still sore from throwing myself into the cast iron bars that had not even quivered from my impact against them. That sure as hell wasn't going to get me out of here. I would need another plan, a good one, if I was going to escape. Sadly, I had nothing in mind that was even close to resembling that. I had already tried to overpower Hermes, but he was too fast. I could never beat how fast he could move. The thought of running out the door when he came in came to mind, but his speed came to play again. Would he be fast enough to catch me? I wasn't exactly dressed for a full-on sprint. I was wearing a hoodie and shorts, my feet bare. I felt disgusting and knew I was in desperate need of a shower. I could only imagine how bad I smelled and don't even mention my breath.

Sitting on the stool, I stared out into the empty space behind the bars. I wondered if anyone knew I was missing yet. Andrea must have, unless she thought I was just going somewhere for the night. Everything I would take with me though was left in our apartment. Had the cameras happened to pick something up of my abduction? I sure hope so. Though, I didn't see what good that would do if I was on another planet. Unless the police had flying saucers in their arsenal now, I didn't think they would be coming to get me. At that point, I really had no hope in rescue unless there happened to be a stray Power Ranger team still in play. That wasn't possible, however. Last I had heard of a team was almost three years ago. I like to keep tabs on teams, hoping to see a familiar face in the ranks. If only I could contact one of those familiar faces.

"You've ate!" Hermes declared a short time later as he returned up the hallway. He smiled at me, looking rather pleased that I had ate the food he had prepared. I nodded, leaning against the bars.

"Yes. Thank you." I said, glancing at him. He bent over and picked up the tray. From his belt, I could see a ring of keys he had used on my cell. They were all mostly oddly shaped with rounds parts and pegs, coated in brass. I counted at least ten of them, the ring large enough to probably fit around my wrist.

"Perhaps I will make this for you every morning then! You do look better now that you've ate. Would you care for some warm water to freshen up with? I know how filthy these chambers can get, depending on who was staying here last." He offered, standing up straight. He gave me a kind smile and for a small moment, I wondered if he was just someone really nice working for someone really awful.

"That would be great." I replied. He nodded, turning on his heels. The keys jingled on his hip as he headed up the hall.

One way or another, I had to get those keys.

Hermes returned a short while later with hot water in a bucket and some clean rags. He set the bucket just inside of the door and handed me a red towel he had draped over his shoulder. He reassured me that he would give me privacy and that no one else would be able to see me while I bathed. It hadn't been something that crossed my mind but now, I was beginning to wonder if other things could see me that I couldn't see. I opted to keep my clothes on, scrubbing at the skin that was visible. Dirt was caked to me, the white cloth turning a grey color as I scrubbed my skin to the point of being raw almost. I did the best to rinse my hair as well, knowing it was a greasy messy by now. It wasn't a shower, but it was better than nothing and made me feel a tiny bit better. It also provided me with some to use to help me get the hell out of here.

About an hour later, I heard Hermes coming back up the hallway. He was whistling now, sounding in a happy mood. I could hear his boots as he neared my cell. I sat in the far corner, just out of sight from the entry way. The bucket was clasped in my hands. I had dumped the water out, filling it with broken chips of the concrete wall I had broken off with the stool. I gripped the edge and the bottom of the bucket, waiting for the right moment. Hermes stopped humming as he neared my cage. "Kimberly?" He asked, and I could just see the tip of his nose as he peered between the bars. Mumbling under his breath, the sound of the key in the lock clicked and the door opened.

As Hermes entered, I watched as he clipped the keys back to his waist. He went to the right side of the cell, looking in the area where the make shift bed I was supposed to sleep on was. He lifted up the blanket that was there and seemed surprised to see I was not under it. Turning, he finally saw me crouched in the shadows. He went to say something, but I sprung forward, flinging the contents of the bucket at him. He let out a cry as the dust and chips blasted him in the face. I could hear him breath it in as he tried to rub the debris from his eyes. He stumbled back, hacking from the attack. I used the opportunity to grab the keys from his belt line. Running out of the open cell door, I pulled it shut behind me, making sure he would not be able to follow after me. In my run, I slid on the wet concrete from where I had dumped the water. I slammed into the ground, hard. Something in my left ankle popped, pain radiating up my leg. I stifled the cry of pain as I pulled myself back up to my feet. He sputtered, trying to call for help but it was hard for him to breathe. I pushed down the pang of guilt that hit me as I ran up the hallway away from my prison.

Much like the walls of my cell, the hallway was lined with grey concrete. Orbs lit the way down the circular shaped walkway and I listened closely to anything that might be made by someone else. I could still hear the muffled coughing of Hermes as I made a left hand turn down another hallway. The concrete was beginning to fade away into stone, bricks of intricate designs and rocks building an arch shaped ceiling above my head. Where ever the hell I was, the owner seemed to know a thing or two about interior design from the middle ages. The entire place gave off a medieval castle vibe that made me half expect a knight to walk by me at any moment in a heavy suit of shiny armor.

Suddenly, the orbs in the hallway extinguished, coating me in nothing but darkness. Honestly, it made my chest quiver with fear. I couldn't see a thing around me, not even my hand in front of my face. I figured it had been made public knowledge I had escaped and now they were out looking for me. At the end of the long hallway there was suddenly some sort of light source. It sent a very dim band of light my way, giving me enough illumination to keep walking forward. The coldness of the stone floor under me seemed to seep into my skin, pain radiating up my legs from the bitterness. I kept shuffling forward, not wanting to stop. All around me, it felt like someone was watching me from the shadows. I couldn't see much ahead of me or behind me. All I knew was that I didn't want to go back to that cell. I kept my hands up in front of my face, ready to fight if need be. I didn't care what I would need to do to get the hell out of where ever I was. There was no way I was going to go down without a fight.

My foot connected to something that was different than stone and I stopped. It was wet, whatever it was. Bending low, I touched my fingers to it. In the very low light, I could make out a dark color on my fingertips. Bringing it to my nose, I could smell the copper of blood. Jumping back to my standing position, I picked up my pace. I didn't know whose blood that was, and I didn't want to be the one adding to it. Could there be other prisoners here somewhere? The cells I could see across from me had been empty. Was there some other place here that they were holding people? Could I be one of many people taken? What I wouldn't do to have my morpher or at least a communicator again.

The soft glow of light came from around a corner and I could make out an archway ahead of me. Maybe it was the outdoors. If I could get outside, I could get the fuck out of here. I did my best to run forward, my limp not helping me. Sadly, I saw it wasn't the outdoors as I reached it. It was coming from floating glass orbs that lit up a large circular shaped room that I found myself standing in. Like the hall, the floor was made from concrete. It was painted different colors of dark green and grey, stones pressed into the mixture here and there. A light fog began to roll in from archways the circled the room, the small pieces of wall that were there covered with old, dusty curtains of fading reds. In the middle of the room, there was a stone throne. It seemed to have seen better days. The structure was crumbling from the back of the seat and cracks covered the entirety of it. It was obvious no one had sat in it for years.

The sound of voices coming behind me made my heart race in my chest. Glancing around, I tried to find somewhere to hide. My only choice was behind the throne where I hobbled to. Crouching down, I pulled my legs into my best and tried to make myself as small as possible. Closing my eyes, I buried my face into my knees. The voices came closer and I could hear the sound of boots on the cement floor.

"I told you before that it was pointless. It's going to happen." A deep voice said as the footsteps entered the room. Someone else scoffed.

"I think you're foolish to put so much blind faith into this plan. I'll never doubt your loyalty but even you can agree that it's farfetched. It's been twenty years." Another voice, much deeper than the first said.

"Try to remember what's at stake, son." The first voice said. "Our Empress will lead us to victory." Chills ran down my spine as I heard the footsteps begin to fade away, heading in the direction I had just come from. Empress? That couldn't be what they had said. I had heard wrong. It wasn't true.

"As you say, father." Their voices faded into the distance, leaving me in the room. Slowly, I raised my head. I didn't move until I knew for sure they were gone. Standing, I peeked over the throne and saw the room was empty. From here, I could see a large balcony that had been hidden before from where I had been standing. A balcony meant the outside world. Maybe I could find a way down. Biting down a cry of pain, I limped my way towards the terrace. There had to be a way down. I didn't care if I had to scale down a drain pipe.

As I neared the balcony, something began to illuminate what I thought was the night sky. At first, I thought it was the moon. It seemed closer than usual but still in the sky. My hope began to vanish though when I saw the deep blues and bright whites on the floating orb in the sky. I could also make out the land masses of the continents.

"No…" I whispered, shaking my head. Tears welled in my eyes as I looked up at planet Earth. Below, I saw the surface of the moon. Craters marked the ground, grey and dead dust unmoving due to the lack of gravity. I was on the fucking moon.

"Kimmy! Glad you could pay me a visit." A shrill voice said behind me. I didn't have to turn around to know it was that of Rita Repulsa. I did any way though, seeing the evil witch standing behind me. She wasn't dressed in her typical brown attire as I remembered, her hair not in the ridiculous horns she used to wear. Instead, she wore it down and behind her back, the long black tendrils curling slightly at the ends. She was dressed in a black cloak, the skirt of a red dress showing underneath it. If I had only looked once, I wouldn't have known it was her until I spotted her staff in her hand. I hadn't seen Rita since I was seventeen years old. She was purified. Jason had told me this years ago after it happened. How on Earth was she standing in front of me right now? "You looked a bit surprised to see me."

"How is this possible?" I asked, moving my weight off my ankle. It was throbbing now, and I could feel the swelling. I would bet good money it was sprained if not broken.

"It's quite the story to tell the truth. It gets boring after a while though. Here. Let me help you with that." I froze as she pointed at my ankle. It began to glow with a green light and it instantly mended, the pain disappearing. "There! Is that better?" She asked, smiling at me. What the fuck was going on?

"Why am I here, Rita?" I asked, moving into a fighting position. "Let me go."

"I can't do that." She replied, shrugging her shoulders. "I need you for my plan to work. I don't appreciate what you did to Finster's son, either. He's a good servant. I thought you power brats helped good people."

"He can't be that good if he's on your side." I narrowed my eyes at her.

"Oh, I'm so scared. C'mon, Kimmy. We both know you haven't been a ranger in almost twenty years. What are you going to do? Throw a walker at me? You're more like a Power Grandma now." She let out a loud cackle, that annoying voice echoing around the room.

"You have no room to call someone old." I retorted.

"I haven't aged at all. In fact, you could say that I am twenty years younger." She said, running a finger down her cheek. "I will explain it in all due time, Kimmy. But for now, I think I need to put you back in your cell. Goldar!" She screeched. My kin crawled as she bellowed out the name and a few seconds later, the ape man beast walked into the room. He was dressed head to two in his golden armor, his wings tucked in behind him. His beady little eyes landed on me and he smiled.

"Yes, my empress?" He asked, his gravelly voice bringing me back to when we used to fight him and Rita's monsters in battle.

"Please take Kimmy back to her cell and ensure it's locked." Rita said, walking towards the throne. She said in it, lazily leaning against one arm of the chair. "I'll see you shortly, pinkie!" She said sweetly, winking at me as Goldar walked over and grabbed my upper arm. I pulled against him, but he was stronger than me. He pulled me out of the throne room and down the hallway, heading to the holding area where my cell was. Hermes was gone and the mess I had made was cleaned up. The bucket was even gone, and I had new blankets on my bed. This place was better than most of the hotels in Angel Grove.

"Here you go, pink ranger." He growled, shoving me into the open cell. I stumbled, catching my footing at the last moment before I fell flat on my face. He slammed the door shut, locking it with another key. "Try to make friends with your new cell mate." He said, letting out a chuckle as he walked up the hallway. Cell mate? I did a quick spin in my cell, looking for anyone else who might be in there. I didn't see any one there besides me standing in the middle of it.

"You'll be okay." A voice said from across the opening, scuffling coming from the cell directly across from mine. "The Power Rangers will save us both." I couldn't see who it was, their voice counting that of someone younger.

"I doubt that." I replied. "The Power Rangers on Earth have been out of commission for a few years now."

"No, they aren't." The voice said, sounding a bit offended. I could just make out a shadow of someone moving as they shifted in their cell. "Trust me, they will be here."

"Yeah? What makes you so sure?" I asked, leaning my forehead against the middle bar of the door. What the hell was I going to do now? Even if I managed to get out of the castle, it would be a suicide mission passed the confines of the Lunar Palace. I wouldn't be able to breath out of the surface of the moon.

"Because I'm one of them." They spoke, coming into the light. I could make out the petite form of a girl standing behind the barred door of her cell. I blinked a few times to make sure I was seeing things correctly as the light of the orb above her cell lit up her face. She had large doe brown eyes and caramel colored hair that ran long down her back. She was dressed in a pink floral shirt, solid pink kapri leggings under them. Her eyes widened when she saw me as well.

I was looking at the sixteen-year-old version of myself.


	9. Chapter 8

Tommy

"Who did you guys say you were again?" The older security guard asked us as he typed away at the computer in front of him. It looked just as old as he did, and he typed using two fingers, similar to the way one would if they had never touched one in their entire life. I was beginning to suspect this was the case for him.

"Kimberly is my sister." Jason replied. "And I am trying to figure out where she went. I know someone said she might have gone to stay with some friends, but no one has seen her." The security guard, who was apparently named George according to his cheap badge, nodded and leaned forward in his chair.

"I'm not really supposed to show people who aren't employed here the security footage." He said in a hushed voice. "But, I know that Kimberly isn't one to just leave in the middle of the night like that. I tried tell Coach Schmidt, but he was convinced she had left early for winter break." Pulling back in his chair, he hit a few more buttons before sliding his computer chair back. Standing, he waved at the computer, inviting Jason and I to see the screens. Jason rounded the edge of the desk, sitting in the chair once George was up. Pulling himself forward, he gazed at the screen. I stood behind him, bending over so I could see over the glare of the fluorescent bulbs overhead. Jason pressed the space bar and the images on the screen start moving. It was of the lobby, the same colored walls and metal detector telling me that. You could even see the security desk in the corner. The elevator doors opened, and I watched as a short, petite woman emerged from them. Her hair was up in a bun and she was dressed in some baggy clothes, but I knew it was Kimberly from her walk.

"Do you have audio?" I asked, glancing at George. He shook his head, leaning against the desk.

"No. But I did talk to the night guard, Hector. He said she told him he would be out on the patio getting some air. She didn't mention a thing about leaving the property." He replied. Turning my attention back to the screen, I saw that the camera view had changed to the outside of the building. Several more shots showed her walking from the front door and around the building to an alley way. She walked up it, disappearing for a few moments before reappearing on another screen. She walked over to the fencing on the patio and leaned against it, gazing out at the horizon.

Through the grainy footage, I could see she had been lost in thought. Kim still somehow managed to look as amazingly beautiful as ever. Her face, however, seemed different. Sadder, maybe. There was something on her features that told me she was thinking about something she didn't like to think about. An instant pang of guilt shot through me and I tried like hell to shove it into the back of my mind for later. On screen, Kim suddenly turned to look behind her. She moved closer towards the alley way, peeking around to look at something. "She must have heard something." Jason mumbled, pausing it. We both looked at the screen, looking for something. All I could see where trash cans and a BBQ grill, typical things that weren't out of the ordinary. He pressed play again and suddenly, she wiped around like someone had touched her.

"What is she doing?" I whispered, gazing hard at the screen. Her lips moved, looking as if she were calling out to someone. She said something else, this time bringing her arms up in a fighting stance. She spun again, and the camera image flickered. There was movement on the screen we couldn't quite make out and then suddenly, it cleared. Only, Kim was gone. It looked like she had never been there.

"Did she just vanish into thin air?" Jason asked, rewinding the footage. He played the patio part again. I watched closely, trying to see something. A flash caught my eye through the scrambling. Reaching passed him, I paused the video and hit the left arrow button a few times. It moved by frame, going picture by picture that was captured. In the midst of the scrambled garage, there was one still image of Kim standing on the patio. In front of her, there was a cloaked figure. Kim was frozen in a position like she was gearing up to run. There was a bright light in the middle of the cloaked figure and the next image was just an explosion of white on the screen. I went back to the image of Kim, trying to memorize it.

"Whoever that is, they know where she is." I said in a low enough voice that only Jason could hear. He nodded, eyeing George quickly. The security guard was pacing the lobby, a phone in hand. Quickly, Jason opened up the internet browser and emailed himself a copy of the file.

"How's it going, boys?" George asked, heading towards us. Jason closed the window and stood up.

"Doesn't seem like much there." Jason replied, giving him a shrug. "Thank you for your help, sir. It means a lot to us."

"Any time. Please, if you find her, just tell her to let me know she's okay. She has me worried."

"We will." I said, nodding. "Do you know if her roommate is home? We wanted to see if there was any sign of where she might be in Kim's room."

"No. She's at the gym. I can give you my key to get in there though. I trust you." Reaching over on the desk, he pulled a drawer out and fished out a key ring. He handed it out to Jason who took it. "The keys are labelled by which room they are. Her apartment is on the top floor, door 11."

"Thank you." Jason said. Turning, we headed to the stairs and started up them. "So, what the hell was that thing?" He asked as soon as we were out of ear shot of George.

"No idea. Whatever it was, it hit her with something. Explains why she seemed to just vanish out of nowhere."

"This is nuts. Who on Earth would want anything to do with Kim? She hasn't had anything to do with the Rangers in forever. I mean, it would make more sense if it was you." Jason muttered as we cleared the first three floors.

"I know. We should send that file to Billy. He might be able to analyze it and clean it up more, so we can see more clearly who it is."

"You're right." We made it to the top floor, finding a plain white door with two brass ones on the front of it. Jason searched the key ring and found a key with the number on it. Sliding it into the lock, he opened the door and we walked in. The apartment was a modest size, eggshell walls with cheap hardwood floors. It was furnished with some second-hand furniture but was decorated nicely with pictures and posters. It was definitely an apartment shared by two women, pink being over bearing almost at some points in the living room. I closed the door behind me and glanced around. On the coffee table, I saw a photo album open and a picture of our group was sitting on top.

"Jase." I said, pointing at it. He turned, seeing what I was trying to show him. Walking over, he picked it up. Under it, there was a cell phone with a pink silicone case on it. It didn't take a genius to figure out it was Kim's phone. I picked up the phone and pressed the unlock button. A picture of her and Trini lit up on the screen, the battery percentage on 33%. The pin key pad popped up, asking for the pin. I entered her birthdate and it unlocked, the icons showing up. I clicked her phone icon, her most recent numbers popping up. "Her last call was to you." I stated, showing him.

"Yeah. She called to let me know she would be coming for Christmas." He set, setting the album on the couch. He walked towards the kitchen, the white walls making their way there as well. There were older model appliances here and two white doors on opposite sides of the room. He walked over to the one on the right and opened it. Following him, we both entered the room. "This is Kim's room." He stated over his shoulder.

"I can tell." I replied. The bedroom was a bit on the small size, but it was warm and cozy. There was a queen size bed in one corner of the room, a light pink comforter and matching sheets tossed on it. Across from it, there was a long dresser with makeup and jewelry on it. There were also trophies lined up on it and on the wall above it, there was a frame with Olympic medals in them. Her name was etched into them and I recalled the memory of watching her win them. She had been beaming on that podium and so had I, watching from the TV in my college dorm as she placed it around her neck.

"Her purse is here." Jase said, bringing my attention back to the room. There was a purse in a chair by the bed along with some car keys on top of it. They were set their neatly, like she hadn't planned on going anywhere for a while. She didn't leave on her own. It was easy to see that. Where the hell were you, Kimberly?

"She hasn't been doing anything Ranger related, right?" I asked, looking over at Jason who was rooting through her purse. He shook his head, setting it down.

"No. She's been wrapped up in this so long, I don't even think she would know how to locate an active ranger. This shit would be a lot easier if I knew what the fuck to even look for."

"Right." I sighed, running a hand through my hair. "We should ask the security guard if anyone has seen someone hanging out by the building or if there has been weird stuff happening. Maybe this person was here, and someone saw it."

"Maybe he has the number for the roommate as well." I nodded. From the corner of my eyes, I saw something perched on her pillow. It was a stuffed animal, a green dragon to be more specific. It looked tattered and old, but I still recognized it as the present I had given her of our second date. There is sat, all these years later. After everything that happened between us.

We left after speaking to George again. He told us that no one had reported anything weird and he was able to give us Andrea's number, telling us she would be home about seven o'clock tonight. We climbed back in the car, pulling back on the highway and heading towards the hotel Jason had booked for us over the course of the next few days. We were going to stay with his relatives, but we decided against it if something came up with old ranger being kidnapped. We couldn't risk putting his family in danger like that. Instead, he found a little hotel a few miles away. He checked in while I pulled out bags from the trunk. I followed him to the second story of the hotel where we found ourselves in room that looked like it hadn't been deep cleaned in decades. Everything was old and musty but at least it was a bed. It was also somewhere we could set up shop.

Jason helped me yank over the table in the corner of the room and we set up my computer station. It was big and heavy, but it was the only form of communication we had with Billy. I wasn't going to bring it originally, but I felt like he might come in handy. Billy Cranston lives on the distant planet of Aquitar. He was the original blue ranger and the genius of our group. If Billy can't fix it, you're screwed. I pulled in the monitor and powered it all on, the screen lighting up. Once it was finished loading, I brought up the program I use to connect with him. Typing for a moment, the screen changed, and it showed a black box. My picture was in the bottom right corner.

"Greetings!" A voice called as the image went from dark to an almost clear shot of Billy on the screen. His hair was sandy blond, his glasses pushed back on his nose, and a light blue jump suit completed his look.

"Hi, Billy. How are you?" I asked.

"I can't complain. Did you redecorate?" He asked, gazing behind me. I shook my head.

"No. It's complicated but I need your help Billy. We think someone kidnapped Kimberly. We can't seem to find her and in the footage we have, there seemed to be something that took her."

" _Took her_?" He questioned. I nodded, adjusting on the corner of the bed.

"We could really use a hand right now, Billy." I replied. Reaching up, he pushed his glasses back up his nose and nodded.

"Affirmative." I slid over so that Jason could sit next to me. Billy's face lit up when he saw Jason who smiled at our old friend. "Jason! How are you?"

"I've been better. And you?" Jason asked, forcing a smile.

"I've been well. What can you tell me about Kimberly's disappearance?" I sat back as Jason dove into the story of Kim coming up missing. He explained about the coach and her roommate thinking she had just run off for the holidays. Billy listened intently, nodding now and then. Jason types on the keyboard, bringing up the file for the security camera footage.

"Tommy and I went to her dorm today and were able to pull the clips from the security cameras. It's choppy though. Could you maybe fix it, so we can get a clearer picture?"

"I will try my best. Have Tommy transfer the file to me." Billy answered. Reaching out, I opened the file transferring program that Billy invented, and I dropped the file into it. The computer dinged, and I could see the reflection of his screen in his glasses. "This will take me some time. I will put all my effort into this though. I will follow up with you shortly about my progress."

"Thank you, Billy." I stated. He nodded, logging off. Sighing, I stood up from the bed and paced by the window. "This doesn't make sense at all. Even if it was ranger related, Kim has nothing to do with that shit anymore."

"It might not be about her though." Jason said, crossing his arms over his chest. I looked at him, waiting for him to continue but he didn't.

"Then what's it about then?" I asked. Rolling his eyes, he shook his head.

"It still amazes me how dense you can be, Oliver." He said, standing up. "What if the thing that took her was trying to get back at you? You've made a lot of enemies out there while being on multiple teams. Maybe someone found out that Kim and you were connected before and this is how they are trying to get back at you."

"You think that someone took her because of me?" I asked softly.

"It's a possibility. We won't know anything until Billy is able to clear up the video clip. Can you think of anything weird happening lately?" I burrowed my brow, thinking. It's not like I had seen a cloaked figure following me around or anything. I was certain I would have noticed that at some point. I thought of anything that happened in the last few days. Nothing came to mine except for my dreams. But that was nothing compared to what happened to Kim. Shaking my head, I threw my hands up in the air.

"Nothing. Unless you count my divorce, everything has been normal. Well, normal as it can be." Sighing, I rubbed the bridge of my nose. What if Jason was right? What if I was the reason someone was out to hurt Kim? I had pissed off countless aliens and evil things during my time in the spandex. That was no secret. And my relationship with Kim when we were kids was something that was known to some of them. Had she become a target again? Did that mean the rest of us were in trouble too?

A ringing on the computer brought me out of my thoughts. Jason pressed a button on the keyboard and Billy's face appeared on the screen. He was shaking his head, working on a tablet in front of him as he mumbled under his breath. "Unbelievable." He whispered.

"Billy, what did you find?" I asked, leaning on the table to see the screen better. He didn't seem to hear me as he continued to gaze at the tablet in front of him. "Billy?" I called. He finally looked up, confusion on his face.

"Was there some sort of water phenomenon near Kimberly's home?" He asked, scanning the larger screen with his eyes.

"What?" Jason asked, seeming just as thrown off by the question as me.

"Did something occur in the ocean near there? Such as a tidal wave or some type of destruction." He asked, glancing at us.

"I'm not sure." I replied. Jason pulled his cell phone out next to me and touched the screen. He typed something and scrolled for a minute.

"There was some kind of massive stranding on a beach a few miles away. A shit ton of animals died. Does that count?" He asked, turning the phone towards me. A picture of a dead whale on the sand was on the screen, a caption stating it was a smaller hump back whale that had died prematurely.

"Affirmative." Billy replied. "I will share my screen with you, so you can observe my findings." The screen changed and the clip we had sent him filled the screen. "I was able to enhance the video with the software I use. It's not much better but the image seems to be clearer." The video started playing. It wasn't as dark, and I could see more of Kim's features now. As the cloaked figure appeared near Kim, I noticed that their seemed to be more definition under the hood. I could just see the tip of a nose as Kim turned to run away. The bright light appeared from under the cloak.

"I can't really see much." Jason murmured.

"Just wait." Billy replied. The image progressed as the flash enveloped Kimberly and she vanished in thin air. The cloaked figure stood there for another minute before turning towards the camera. You could see the face perfectly now. It was a woman with pale skin, almond shaped eyes and a devilish grin across her lips.

"No fucking way." Jason said, leaning forward. The woman gave a wave and Billy paused it.

"It's Rita Repulsa." I said. "Rita took Kimberly."


	10. Chapter 9

**A/N:** I can't even begin to describe how **SORRY** I am for such a long time between updates. With Thanksgiving and my work being SO crazy, I've had to put this on the back burner. I promise I won't do that again. :) I hope everyone had a nice holiday and I hope you enjoy this chapter.

* * *

 **Kimberly**

"This can't be possible." I whispered, looking into the brown eyes of the 16-year-old version of myself in the other cell. That Kimberly seemed equally shocked as her eyes widened and she let out a soft gasp.

"Are you…me?" She whispered, leaning against the bars of the cell. I gave a hesitant nod, unsure what to say exactly. "From what year?" She asked.

"2018." I replied. She gaped at me, shaking her head.

"No way. That can't be right! That would be over twenty years in the future." She said, trying to grasp her senses. "Who are you really? You have to be some trick by Rita and Goldar. It's not going to work. Once Tommy and the other Rangers get here, I'll show you a thing or two."

"Kimberly, I promise you that I am you." I said. I did love her spirit, but it was a bit unneeded at the moment. She did have a right to have her guard up. "Ask me anything that only you would know."

"Alright." She said, crossing her arms over her chest. "Where do I keep my diary?"

"Under the left side of your bed, in the box spring. It's also where you keep your morpher when you're sleeping." She paled slightly as she realized exactly who I was.

"No way." She stated again. I smirked, finding it a tad bit funny. "What are you? 40?" She looked horrified. I shot her an unamused look, raising an eyebrow at her.

"I'm 38, thank you very much. How long have you been here?" I asked.

"A couple hours. Goldar nabbed me on my way home from school. I knew I should have walked home with Tommy and Trini." She leaned her back against the wall next to her bars. "You?"

"Four days." I muttered. "At least I think it's been that long. Do you have your communicator on you? Or your morpher?"

"Nope. They were both in my bag that I dropped." Of course, it was, I thought. I rested my forehead against the horizontal bar and closed my eyes. What the fuck was Rita planning? She had me and the younger version of myself as prisoners. How on Earth did she even managed that? What was her game plan? Were the other Rangers in danger? I wished with everything in me that I had brought my phone with me. Not that that it would have mattered much. I had no clue if it would have worked here on the moon. Now I was beginning to question the when of where I was instead of the where. I heard Kimberly move in her cell.

"Can I ask you something?" She asked.

"Sure." I replied, not lifting my head.

"What happens in the future? Like with school…and Tommy." My head popped up at the mention of his name and for a long moment, my heart ached. She was so young, naïve and innocent still. She had no clue that in just a short year and a half, she would have the love of her life ripped away from her because of gossip and poor decisions. She gave me hope filled inquisitive eyes and I wondered what to say back to her. I couldn't tell her the truth.

"I don't want to spoil anything." I said, forcing a smile. "But you're happy for the most part." She smiled broadly, letting out a deep sigh.

"I hope it was a big wedding." She said, and I watched as she slid down the wall to sit on the floor. It was depressing to see how happy she was at the thought of being with Tommy. It was everything I had wanted when I was that age. It was also everything that wouldn't happen by my age. Everything that I still wanted to happen and wished it had.

"Did Goldar say anything when he took you?" I asked, hoping to change the subject. I sat on the floor too, in the same spot she did. She shook her head, glancing over at me.

"Just typical Goldar stuff. He's the greatest, Rita will rule the world, blah blah blah." Rolling her eyes, she tossed a rock out of her cell. "Do you have any idea what she's up to?"

"Not in the slightest. I didn't even know it was her until just a few minutes ago. In my time, she's been purified. She's no longer evil." I explained.

"That's great news!" She exclaimed. "How did that happen? Maybe I can spread the word to our team once they save us. The guys are going to freak when they see you."

"I bet." I muttered. In the back of my mind, I thought about teen Tommy and his handsome good looks that drew me in the moment I saw him. I wouldn't mind seeing that Tommy again. Especially with the hair. "So, how are things with Tommy?"

"Good." She said, a wide grin on her face. "We just celebrated our three-month anniversary. He bought me flowers and left them in my locker. Is he still that sweet?" I snorted, letting out a life.

"I imagine he is." I replied, letting my hair fall over my face. "It sounds like Tommy." In my mind, I could see the sixteen-year-old version of Tommy holding my hand as we walked along the path in the park. Tears filled my eyes, but I blinked them away. I didn't have time to get all sappy about my ex-boyfriend. I needed to not only get myself out of here, I also had to get my younger self out as well. Now there's a sentence I never imagined thinking to myself. "What has Rita been doing in your time?" I asked.

"Nothing out of the ordinary." She replied. "I mean, she's been sending monsters every day but that's her typical game." I leaned my head back against the wall and gazed up at the ceiling. "Do you think this is the Rita from my time?"

"I'm not sure. When I saw her, she wasn't wearing her usual clothes. These were different. They looked…younger? I guess. I don't know. I didn't get to ask her much before she tossed me back in here. Did you see her before they locked you up?"

"No. I only saw Goldar. But, now that you mention it, he doesn't seem to look the same as our Goldar. This one doesn't seem as old." Kimberly pulled herself back up to her feet and leaned against the bars. "Could these be a version of them from before my time?"

"It's a possibility." I replied. "We won't really know until they come for us, I suppose."

"Come for us? We have to try and break out of here." She yanked on the bars, the metal rattling as she did. "We can't just sit here and wait."

"There's not much else we can do." I sighed. "Trust me. I've tried it all."

"So, you're just giving up?" She asked, glaring over at me as she continued to pull at her cell door. "Is that what happens to me when I get older? I just give up." The words lashed deeper into me than any blade could have.

"Maybe." I replied, turning so I couldn't see her anymore.

What felt like a lifetime later, I heard the sound of boots scrapping on the floor as they headed towards our cell. Kim had taken to sulking in her cell, but she came forward when she heard the noise. I stood up from my place on the floor just as Goldar emerged from the hallway. Without even a glance in Kimberly's direction, he headed for my cell and unlocked it. He pulled some rope from his belt line and gestured me to walk forward. I glared at him, crossing my arms across my chest.

"You can listen or else I'll take my frustrations out on the younger one." He growled. Biting back a comment, I reluctantly stepped forward and held my hands out in front of me. He roughly tied my wrists together with the coarse rope, leaving a tail long enough for him to pull me with. He yanked the rope, pulling me forward. I stumbled a bit but kept my footing. Out of the cell, I looked over at Kim who gave me a worried look. I gave her a small smile before Goldar pulled me out of view. "I gotta say. You were prettier when you were younger." He called over his shoulder as we headed up the long stone hallway, the same path I had taken before.

"You're ugly either way." I replied. He didn't say anything else as we walked. The throne room came into view, the throne now gone. It was lit up with more orbs, almost feeling inviting. There was a chair was cuffs on the arm set up where the throne had been. Goldar yanked me forward, my bare feet slapping the stone underneath them. He stopped when I was in front of the chair. With a rough shove, he pushed me into it, so I was sitting. Pulling the rope from my hands, he slapped my wrists into the metal cuffs and locked them. He smirked at me when I was unable to move, turning to walk over towards the balcony. The curtain was closed now, blocking off the opening that overlooked the Earth.

"So, what's the plan, Goldar? Have the Rangers come save us and try to steal their power coins? Cause that worked so well before." I said, eyeing the ape warrior. He didn't respond, just standing there examining me. "Or are you guys trying to get Tommy to come back as the Green Ranger? You know he'll never do that. Trust me. I know how all this ends."

"Shut up." He mumbled, his deep voice almost seemed to crawl across my skin. Now that I was looking at him, I could see what Kimberly meant. This Goldar did look younger. He didn't have wrinkles on his face and his fur seemed to be a darker shade of black. His gold armor was also shinier, newer. His eyes were the same shade of beady red, however.

"You aren't the Goldar I remember." I stated, raising an eyebrow. "No. You're younger than him. What time frame are you from?" I asked. He continued to ignore me though, but a small smile did pull at the corner of his mouth. For the first time since my arrival, a heavy feeling of dread was beginning to set in the pit of my stomach. If we weren't in my time frame and we weren't in Kim's, how were they going to find us to save us? Even Zordon didn't have that kind of power.

"Oh! I hope you're hungry." Hermes' voice called as the sound of his footsteps came into the room. He entered from another door way, a silver tray in his hands. "I've made you more oatmeal. I know you had some this morning, but I figured you might want it again since you ate it so well." He scurried towards me, setting the tray on the floor next to me. There was a redness around his eyes and some scratches. They were probably caused by my attack earlier. I frowned, that guilt returning.

"I'm sorry about earlier." I said, giving him a small smile. He waved his hand at me, smiling brightly.

"No worries! I completely understand. All water under the bridge!"

"I'm not hungry right now. I believe the girl is though. She can have mine as well." I replied. Hermes nodded, picking up the tray again.

"Just let me know if there is anything else I can get you later." He replied. "There are some more human recipes I would love to try!"

"That'll be all, Hermes." Goldar growled, glaring at the nicer creature. Hermes shrunk back before disappearing from the room. I glared at Goldar again.

"You didn't have to be so mean to him. He's kind. Kindness isn't a sin, Goldar." I shot at him. He rolled his eyes, placing his hand on the hilt of his sword. I suddenly remembered a story Tommy had told us about an encounter he had with Goldar. He had teleported him somewhere, hoping to destroy him. Tommy had thought all was lost until he was able to get ahold of Goldar's sword. It teleported him back. If I could get the sword, I could get the both of us out of here.

"He's weak." He replied. "There's no room in this empire for weakness once Empress Rita becomes the ruler of all."

"Yeah? And how is that supposed to happen?" I asked.

"All in due time, Kimmy." Rita's voice said from behind me. I gripped the arms of the chair tightly as I heard her footsteps come near. She appeared on my right, resting a hand on my shoulder. I tried to move away but I couldn't do much in my restraints. She was still dressed in the red dress, the black cloak gone however. Her staff was in her hand and she smiled down at me. She too was missing her wrinkles and there was a feeling of youth about her face. She turned her attention to Goldar who stood up straight under her gaze. "Goldar, retrieve the telescope."

"Yes, my empress." He replied, walking behind me. I heard him shuffle something and then there was a scrapping noise of something being dragged across the floor. He returned to my field of vision, pulling a large brown colored trunk. Dropping it, he popped open the brass lock on the front of it and pulled the lid up. I could just see something inside of it, red velvet lining the trunk. Reaching in, he pulled out a gold colored telescope, red and blue colored glass decorating the outside of it as well. It was about three feet long and the legs made it stand about four feet high as Goldar stood it up in front of me. He positioned it so that the lens was pointed directly at me. I squirmed in my seat, knowing full well that Rita wasn't planning on using it to see the stars.

"I hope you had a chance to get reacquainted with yourself." Rita said, letting go of me and walking towards the telescope. She waved her staff and a chair appeared next to it. Gracefully, she sat in the chair and smiled at me. "I know it was probably a bit odd. It's not every day you get to meet your past self."

"What are you planning, Rita?" I asked, getting sick of her attempt at small talk. She chuckled, shaking her head.

"You are exactly as I saw. I am glad you are ready to just jump into it. I need you, Kimberly. There is a lot I wish to achieve in my life and I cannot do this unless I have your help." She explained.

"I'm not helping you do shit." I replied. Goldar hissed next to me, not liking I was cursing at his queen. I smirked in his direction, turning my attention back to Rita. "Whatever you have planned, the Power Rangers will stop you. You and I both know that." Rita shrugged, picking at something on the front of her dress.

"From what I heard, those kids seem to be a bit slow on the up take." Lazily, she reached up and pressed something on the telescope. A light shot out of it, covering me like a projector would. I squinted at the light, trying to see. My eyes adjusted after a moment and the light seemed to dim slightly. "Saw your name." She stated, giving me a pointed expression. I glared at her, not saying anything. Sighing, she rolled her eyes. "Really? Must you do this the hard way? Goldar." She nodded at the ape and he walked towards me. Roughly, he grabbed a handful of my hair and forced me to look directly into the telescope.

"Saw it or else I'll take it out on the prettier version of you." He growled.

"Kimberly Hart." I said through gritted teeth.

"Excellent. Now say where you are." She said, her eyes glittering with excitement.

"Rita Repulsa has me captured on the moon in her palace." I said softly. Golder gripped tighter, causing me to gasp in pain as I felt my hair being pulled from my head.

"Louder so they can hear you."

"Rita Repulsa has taken my prisoner at the Moon Palace." I said, loud enough that my voice could be heard.

"Good. Now, say that if Tommy Oliver doesn't turn himself over to me in the next 24 hours, you will be murdered." She said, crossing her legs at the knee.

"What?" I gasped, giving her a confused look. "No. I won't do it." I tried to shake my head but Goldar's grip on my hair was too strong. I felt tear prick the back of my eyes as I tried to think of something to do.

"Say it, Kimmy. Or else it will be a whole lot worse for the sweet girl sitting in that cell." Rita purred, tapping her nails on the arm of her chair. I closed my eyes, feeling a tear slip down my cheek.

"If Tommy Oliver doesn't turn himself over to Rita in 24 hours, she will murder me." I said, slowly opening my eyes. I stared right into the lens of the telescope, hoping somehow that the Tommy that would be watching this would just ignore it. That he wouldn't come to save any version of myself.

Too bad I knew Tommy better than that.


	11. Chapter 10

_**Tommy**_

"Alright. I'll see you guys as soon as you land. Just give me a call as soon as you can." I heard Jason on the phone behind me, talking to who I assumed was Rocky. He let out a sigh, dropping his phone on the bed before returning to his position in the chair next to it. I continued my pacing, trying like hell to rack my brain of how this could even be slightly possible. Rita was purified. Everyone knew that. That was one of the main reasons why Zordon died. He gave himself to purify her, Zedd and the rest of the bad guys trying to take over the planet. It was baffling me how she was here now and how she had managed to get passed the security measures in place to get back on Earth without one of the Ranger teams finding out. Since my team founded, I've been in contact with a number of other teams that have been in action. We've formed a council of sort to keep an eye on Earth. Most of the council is made up of teams that are no longer functioning but it's still one way to protect the planet. When something occurs, we reach out to the still active teams, but these instances are far and few between. How did Rita slip through the cracks?

"Rocky, Aisha and Zach will be here in the morning." Jason said, reminding me he was still there. "We'll have to grab them from the airport but at least that's three more of us. Aisha is going to try to get ahold of Adam, so he can get here, and Trini will be flying down tomorrow night. The whole gang will be here."

"Not the whole gang." I said, frowning.

"We're going to get her back, Tommy. We've taken Rita down before. There's no way we can't do it again."

"How the fuck is she back?" I muttered, sitting on the edge of the bed. "Did we miss something? Was she not entirely purified? Was it only temporary?"

"I don't know. We're gonna figure it out though. What did Billy say about the ocean?"

"Something about how our tidal waves seem to be out of the ordinary than they should be. He's going to run some tests on it and see what's going on. Do you think there's a chance that she has Kim on the moon?" He shook his head.

"That's the first thing I thought of. Trini used checked the readings on the moon on her end and nothing living is on it. Where ever she has Kim, it isn't there. She has to be somewhere nearby." I stood up, sticking my hands in my pockets.

"I can't just sit here anymore. I think I'm going to go talk to her roommate. What was her name? Andrea?"

"Yeah. I'll come with. I can use a break from this room. C'mon." Jason took the keys and he drove back over to the campus. Night had fallen now, the rich red and pinks from the sunset gone and replaced with ink black. The moon was full, sitting high in the sky as we drove the highway. My eyes lingered on it, wondering if Kim could be there. If not, where was she? Was there a chance Rita was masking her vitals on the moon? All of my questions made my head hurt and I closed my eyes to try and ebb the pain away.

 _"Come to me, Tommy." A voice called out in the distance. I stepped forward, the sea of blackness around me making it difficult. My legs felt like pure jelly and each step felt like I would tumble to the ground. Reaching out around me, I tried to grasp something, but nothing was there. The shifting was making my stomach hurt but there was nothing I could do about it. "Tommy…just a little further. You can do it."_

 _"Hello?" I called out, trying to figure out the source of the voice. There was a soft purring noise followed by a light chuckling. I moved forward more, finally seeing a small globe of light in the distance. I tried running for it, but my legs wobbled under me. I nearly stumbled but I was able to stay standing. I felt something heavy hanging at my waist and when I reached down, I felt the familiar feel of the Dragon dagger on my hip. My morpher was in front of me and I realized I was gazing out of the helmet of my green suit. There was a loud banging sound behind me, but I could see what it was. It sounded like metal on metal, the noise bouncing off the walls that seemed to be closing in on me. There was also a slight muffled moan, but I couldn't hear what the voice was saying. It was too far away for me to understand._

 _"I'll make the pain she caused you go away, Tommy." The voice cooed. "I'll make her pay for what she's done."_

 _"Who are you?" I asked, my voice vibrating around me. I was finally nearing the light, it growing in size as I came closer. I recognized it as a flame, an orange glow coming from it. I stopped in front of it, seeing nothing but the fire. I couldn't even see the source of where it burned._

 _"Accept it, Tommy. I can give you everything you've ever wanted. I can give you back your powers. For good." I felt myself reach out and hold my hand over the flame. It suddenly turned green and I felt a warmth envelop my entire body. It felt amazing, like something I hadn't felt in years. The strength coursed through my veins and I could have sworn I was able to leap a tall building if I wanted to. A vibrating began in my chest and the sound of my laughter filled my ears until they hurt._

I jumped awake with a start, hearing a yell echoing through at the car as I felt my heart nearly beat out of my chest. Gripping the seat underneath me, I glanced around quickly, trying to figure out where the hell I was. It took nearly a full minute for me to realize I was in the rental car, but Jason was no longer next to me. The car was parked in the parking lot of Kim's building, a street light next to the car draping it with a yellow glow. Running a hand over my face, I was met with sweat that seemed to trickle down the back of my neck and through my t-shirt. I wiped my hand off on my jeans and popped open the car door. The cool night air felt amazing as I gulped for air. I wish I knew what these fucking dreams meant. It wasn't a big deal when I was at home going through them. I didn't have time for it now. It was probably because of everything going on. Shaking my head, I tried to rattle the feeling off.

"Hey." Jason's voice said from my left. Picking my head up, I saw him walking towards the parking lot with a girl around our age next to him. She had long reddish-brown hair and a round face. A pink hoodie with USA printed on it was on her torso and red flannel pajama pants housed her legs, black flips flops on her feet. The pair stopped in front of the car, Jason giving me a confused look. "You okay? You look like you've just seen a ghost."

"Yeah. I'm fine. Why did you leave me in the car?" I asked.

"Figured you could use the sleep. Tommy, this is Andrea. Andrea, this is Tommy." Jason smiled at Andrea as he pointed at me. I held out my hand to her and she shook it gently.

"Wow. It's weird to meet you in person." She stated, eyeing me slightly. I took a step back, wondering what she knew about me. I didn't think Kim was a big talker to people other than Aisha and Trini. Had she told Andrea about our past?

"I asked Andrea about Kim and stuff that might have been going on before she came missing. I thought you might want to hear it yourself." Jason interjected, getting the spotlight off the elephant the seemed to linger in the parking lot.

"Kim told me a few days ago that she thought she saw some weird at the beach. Sometimes, we go there on Sunday mornings when we're off. She went for a run down there and she said that there was something floating in the water. She didn't go out and get it or anything. All she said was that she felt something was off about it. I didn't think anything about it until all those whales died at the same beach." Andrea explained. I raised an eyebrow, my eyes darting to Jason who nodded.

"Did she say what it looked like?" I asked.

"No. Just that she thought it was a log or something first." She replied.

"Did she mention anyone following her or feeling like someone was following her?" Jason asked. Andrea shook her head, hugging her arms around herself.

"No. Not to me, at least. Do you guys have any clue where she might be? I'm really worried about her and so are the girls. It's not like her to just up and go without telling me." Andrea asked, looking between the two of us. Jason gave her a sympathetic smile.

"We'll find her. I promise. Thank you for your help, Andrea." He gestured towards the walkway. She turned to leave but stopped, shifting so she was looking at me.

"I just started here around the time Kim was getting ready to retire from the games. They knew she was going to quit that year and they were looking for someone to fill her shoes. I was too old, but they let me stay on as an assistant coach, hoping that she would accept the position of head coach. She wasn't going to. She had this big plan that she was going to move back home to be with you, you know. She's a private person but in the grand scheme of things, she used to tell me everything. And I do mean everything." She eyed me with an accusing stare. "You fucked her up, royally. I've never seen someone so broken before. For what it's worth, if you're here to find her, you better be doing it for her and not yourself." She shot me a glare before walking off towards the building again. I let out the breath I didn't know I was holding as she disappeared into the door. Jason let out a low whistle, rubbing the back of his head.

"Well…that was helpful at least." He said after a minute. I nodded, feeling lower than I had before. "We going to talk about what she's referring to?"

"Nope." I replied, walking over to the passenger side of the car. I heard the doors locked before I could open it though. Glancing over at Jason, I saw he had the keys in his hands and was giving me an expectant look. "None of that is important right now. We should be getting down to that beach and seeing if we can find what Kim saw."

"Listen. I've been letting this all slide for a while now. For months now, you've been acting like someone took your birthday away. I thought it was the divorce and everything at first but now, I'm thinking it might be something else."

"It's nothing. Unlock the car, Jase." I pulled on the handle, but it was still locked. I growled in my throat, not wanting this to be happening right now. Or at all, really.

"Not until you tell me what is going on."

"What do you want from me?" I asked, my voice raising a bit. He walked over to his side of the car and leaned against the door.

"The truth!" He exclaimed. "You've had this thing going on for forever now and I'm sick of it. Does it have to do with Kim? Did something happen? You and she have been acting weird and I just want to know what's going on. Was there another fight I don't know about? Cause that is nothing new for you two. What is it? What is going on that's so bad you can't tell me?"

"Jason, I-." I was interrupted by a blood curdling scream, coming from the direction of the door Andrea had just walked through. Jason and I both took off running towards it. The glass doorway was brightly lit, a flashing light seeming to fill the area. I recognized it as a flickering fluorescent bulb. Jason reached the door first, flinging it open. I followed closing behind him, seeing Andrea standing on one side of the lobby. She was trembling, covering her mouth with her hand. Tear filled eyes looked over towards the security desk.

"Jesus." Jason hissed, turning to see what she was looking at. Over his shoulder, I saw the slumped over body of George, the doorman. Blood was everywhere, and his body seemed to be almost chopped in two from the belly button. The organs that were supposed to be inside of his body was oozing out, his small intestine drooping on the floor by the wheel of the chair Jason had only sat in hours ago. The hairs on the back of my neck stood on end as the reality of what I was looking at seeped in. I quickly took a fighting stance, looking around for the source of who could have done this. There was no one else in the lobby though, the late hour meaning the girls upstairs would be sleeping.

"I walked in and he…he…he…" Andrea spoke but she was unable to finish her sentence. Jason walked over to her, careful to not step into any of the blood that was pooling on the floor.

"Andrea, I need you to go up the stairs and make sure none of the girls try to come downstairs." He said, gripping her shoulders. "Tommy and I will call the police. Can you do that?" She nodded, tears streaming down her face. Quickly, she darted up the staircase, her steps making the wood creak under her weight. Jason walked toward George, kneeling down to get a better look.

"Goldar." I said softly, knowing all too well there was only one sword that I could think of that could dismember a person like that. This was his traditional move too. I had seen it numerous times over the years we fought against him. "He could still be here somewhere."

"I'm going to check out the rest of the building. You check the outside." Jason said. "Call me if you see anything." Nodding, we went our separate ways. He darted up the stairs where Andrea had gone, and I went out the front door. Nothing seemed to be moving out here, the walk way stretching around the adjacent building and between the two of them. It was the same area where Kim had been taken. I recognized it from the video. Slowly, I walked along the side walk as I checked for any signs of life. As I came around the corner of the building, I saw nothing but palm trees and a high way below, just beyond a fence. There wasn't a soul around, a few lights on above my head as girls were beginning to stir from the activity in the lobby. Sighing, I pulled my phone out of my pocket and dialed 911.

"911. What is the nature of your emergency?" A woman's voice said on the other line.

"There's been an attack at the Schmidt Gym. I believe the door man has been murdered." I replied.

"Do you know who attacked him?" She asked. I could hear voices and typing behind her.

"No." I lied. "It's bad though. I don't think he's alive."

"We'll send out a unit to you immediately." She stated. "Sir, can I have some information about you?"

"My name is Tommy Oliver. My friend Jason Scott and I were here trying to find our friend. We heard someone scream and that's when we found him." I explained. Something from the corner of my eye caught my attention. I noticed a picnic table was set up in the corner of the small patio area. On top of it, there was what looked like a tablet. The screen was flashing a bright white glow and I could see something moving on it. Walking towards it, I saw the crest for Rita's family in the middle of the screen.

"Tommy, are you there?" The 911 operator asked in my ear, but I ignored it. Picking up the tablet, I touched the screen. It faded to black before a video began to play. It showed Kim, sitting in the middle of what I recognized as the throne room in Rita's castle. I had seen it too many times for my own liking. I could make out what looked like Goldar's arm behind her, gripping the back of her head to make her look up towards the camera.

"My name is Kimberly Hart." She said through gritted teeth. "Rita Repulsa has taken me prisoner at the Moon Palace." She let out a gasp, her head trying to shake as she looked to the left of the screen. "I won't say it." She whispered, tears filling her eyes. One slid down her cheek as she closed her eyes. Slowly, she opened them and shifted them back towards the camera. "If Tommy Oliver doesn't turn himself over to Rita in 24 hours, she will murder me." Kim gave a pleading look and I felt it right down to my core. Off in the distance, I heard the sound of sirens as the police were racing to the scene. Tucking the tablet into the back of my shirt, I headed back to the lobby.


	12. Chapter 11

_**A/N:**_ **Would you look at that? Thing I am back into the swing of things with this fic! I'll be honest, I was dragging a bit because I wasn't sure if it was flowing like I would have liked it to but I am feeling a lot better about it! I hope you enjoy this chapter. To write it, I re-watched the scene in the Turbo movie where Kim and Jason are sacrificed to Maligore for Divatox. The Turbo movie is so bittersweet to me. I like it because it has potential and I mean Tommy - hello! But also, you seem interaction between Tommy and Kim. It just bug the every loving crap out me that they left it at she was rescued and BOOM! That's it. Like, give me some closure it you are just going to rip them apart! And I know that they wanted to put Jason and Kim together in the movie but it didn't make it in (which, I apologize if you enjoy Kim/Jason but it will forever be Tomberly in my nerdy heart.) I just feel like so much more could have been done with them in that movie. I mean, when he sees her about to be tossed in a volcano, he only calls her name out in the beginning. And don't even get me started on the part where he realizes it's her that was kidnapped.**

 **Okay. I could rant all day on the injustice to my favorite couple but I won't. Fair warning, there is some Kat bashing but evil Kim in this chapter. You've been warned. As always, please remember to R &R after reading and I hope you enjoy.**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own or have the rights to anything Power Rangers. If I did, I think we all know who the hell would be together. -_- Come on, Hasbro!**

* * *

 _ **Kimberly – The Past**_

"Really hoping you have a bright idea." I said, pulling on the chains above my head. Jason scoffed, squirming behind me.

"Me? I thought you were the one with the ideas here." He replied. Below us, the heat from the lava filled volcano was steadily rising. I could feel it burning my skin, knowing it was probably red by now. Sweat was pouring off of me and no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't pry my restraints from my wrist. Closing my eyes, I tried to picture anything that would help take my mind off of this. Everything kept flashing back to Tommy and it burned worse than the flames below me.

"What's taking so long?!" Divatox screeched to our right. She was beating on her penis shaped henchman, demanding him to make the poor little aliens she had captured in a cage do something. The guy howled, trying to explain to her that he wasn't sure, but she wasn't having it.

"She makes me miss Rita." Jason mused, yanking at our chains. I laughed, opening my eyes again.

"Her voice isn't as annoying though." I replied.

"That's true." Divatox moved, walking towards the edge of the pit below us. She let out a loud cackle, gazing down at the magma below.

"Maligore, the great flame of destruction. It is I, Divatox, your one and only true soulmate. This moment has been long coming and now, I bring you two perfect specimens to sacrifice for our matrimonial pact!" She giggled gesturing up towards Jason and I. Around the room, the natives that had taken me captive on the beach began to chant Maligore's name in a hushed tone that rose into the air. "Awake! And feed upon their purity! Come forth and let evil twist their souls!" Divatox stepped back, raising her hands above her head. "Be free again and join forces with me!" Fire erupted in the air from the pit, causing Jason and I to lift our legs up in the air. The natives began to chant and dance, several of them beating on drums and cymbals.

"What do you suppose 'feed on their purity' means?" Jason asked, yanking again.

"I'm not sure but I don't want to stick around to find out." For the first time since our 'adventure' began, I felt fear beginning to sink into my chest. We had managed to get out of the submarine only to be plunged to our death in a volcano as a dowry. What kind of justice was that? Closing my eyes, I said a little prayer in my head for help. Any kind of help. Especially that of the Power Ranger type. Was Tommy coming to save us? Did they even know we were in trouble? How would they know?

"Kim?" Jason's voice said. Opening my eyes, I shifted so I could see his face slightly. "He's coming. Trust me."

"I hope you're right." I said softly.

"Pssh. I'm always right." He replied, a cocky grin on his lips. By the entrance of the cave, I waved as one of the metal beings working for Divatox walked over to the wench that was attached to the rope suspending us. He grabbed the handle, pushing it forward.

"Hey!" A voice said from the other side of the room. "Did we miss the party?" My heart filled with relief as five colorfully dressed people ran in, weapons on their hips and helmets on their head. I had never felt happier to see spandex in my life. Their suits were different than the last time I had been home, something I knew from Jason's time with the Zeo team. The red ranger stood in the middle of the pack, pink and blue on his right, and yellow and green on his left. He didn't even have to take off his helmet for me to know which one Tommy was. The red one stood with the same stance I had seen a thousand times and he had the same build.

"See? I am always right." Jason said, his voice sounding more positive than it had a minute ago.

"Who invited you?" Divatox replied through gritted teeth, a sour look on her face.

"We did." I called out, causing her to look up at me. "Rangers, this is Divatox. Divatox, this is your worst nightmare."

"Ha!" Divatox exclaimed, laughing. "Lower them into the volcano!" The machine lackie pushed on the wheel and the rope dropped. I let out a loud gasp, closing my eyes as we dropped a couple of inches.

"No!" Jason and I both exclaimed, trying to pull out of our restraints. The blue ranger ran forward towards the wheel, but he was cut off by Divatox men. Tommy rushed towards one of the men, kicking his square in the chest. This began the battle, rangers going up against those supporting Divatox. I watched as the rope continue to lower as Tommy went up against one, then two, then a third lackie. The blue ranger, who sounded incredibly young compared to the other ones, advanced passed an enemy, making it to the wheel. He pushed the one that was controlling it away, our lowering stopping as he did. Another noticed this, heading over to assist his comrade. The two turned, facing off against the blue ranger. He did well, keeping them away from the wheel.

"Ready to give up, Divatox?" The blue ranger called.

"Who is that?" I asked over my shoulder to Jason.

"I'm not sure. If we aren't deep fried, I'll find out for you." He replied, trying to pry his wrists from the shackles.

"Elgar! Go over there and show that powder blue Power Brat what my answer is!" Divatox exclaimed, shoving the penis shaped general towards the blue ranger. He stumbled a bit, beelining for the blue ranger who managed to dive out of the way just in time.

"Get over here, you little twerp!" Elgar called out. Behind him, the other ugly asshole on Diavtox's team she called Rygog, grabbed the wheel. Elgar followed after the blue ranger, drawing a weapon that he shot at him. Something wrapped around the blue ranger's throat, cutting off the air supply. Tommy was still battling a number of the metal putty like monsters, the yellow and pink rangers dealing with their own. I noticed that the green ranger was helping Lerigot, the small little alien Divatox had kidnapped. He didn't look so well, stumbling as the Power ranger helped him to the catch with the other creature that looked like him. The rope holding Jason and I suddenly gave again, this time dropping us a good foot or two. A scream came out of my mouth as the heat grew hotter as we neared the opening of the volcano.

"Kim!" I heard Tommy's voice call out as we steadily lowered at a faster pace than before.

"Tommy!" I called out, my eyes blurring with tears as I watched him scramble to try to reach us. Three of the putties grabbed ahold of him as Jason and I entered the lip of the volcano.

"KIMBERLY!" Tommy's voice rang out one last time before we were sucked into the hell below.

* * *

I'm not dead. It was the first thing I realized as I felt myself awake. I couldn't see anything but a bright whiteness. Had I been sleeping? No. This was a different kind of awakening. My entire body felt…energized. I suddenly felt like I could run a marathon and not even bat an eye. What was this? It was better than morphing! Shouldn't I be burning alive right now, lava melting my insides? What was happening to me? I felt something inside of me begin to disappear as a new feeling began to fill it instead. Anger. Hot red anger. I clenched my fists as flashes of everything that's happened to me since I left Angel Grove came to mind. The stupid girls at the gym. Coach Schmidt for telling me I was getting too soft. My mother for not even calling me to see how I was doing. Tommy breaking up with me.

Something flashed inside of me at the thought of Tommy. The already hot anger became hotter. Tommy. He was the cause of all the pain I was still feeling. I couldn't trust him. He was the reason I was so lonely in Florida. I thought he loved me. He said he did. Why did he suddenly change his mind when I was 3,000 miles away? Was Katherine that much better than me? Please. She was a blonde bimbo who would never amount to anything but a little skank. She was trying to sink her teeth into Tommy before I had even packed my bags. I should have taken her out when I had the chance. When I had powers.

 ** _Now you can_** , a voice whispered in my head. **_I can help you_**. The voice was warm and licked at my insides in a soothing way. I nodded, the whiteness in my eyes changing to red. I could see around me now, noticing I was standing on the edge of the opening for the volcano, facing the fiery pit below. Turning on my heel, I saw that everyone was standing still, just watching me. Jason was standing next to me and like me, I saw that his eyes were a glowing red color. I wondered if he felt as amazing as I did at that moment. Holding my hands up, I saw there were still shackles on my wrists. With a simple tug, I broke the chains between them and they fell to the floor. Jumping, I landed on the sand in the middle of the cave.

"Kim!" Tommy said, running towards me. He gripped my shoulders and anger flared in my core. I shoved him off me, tossing him to the side. Next to us, it pleased me to see Jason giving Kat just what she deserved; a swift kick to the face. She let out a muffled cry as she was sent flying. Adam came towards me, his hands held out in front of him.

"Snap out of it, Kim." He said, trying to reason with me. _He didn't tell you about Tommy's betray_ al, the voice said in my ear. I glared at Adam, kicking him in the gut. He doubled forward, rolling to the side as he gasped in pain. From behind, I felt someone grab me by the arm. A flash of yellow told me it was the other tramp on the team, Tanya. Sure, she was Aisha's cousin. She was also the skank's best friend. I'm positive she knew more about what happened behind my back better than anyone else. I shifted so I was facing her, reaching out and grabbing her by the throat. She clawed at my hands, trying to get me to release her.

"How pathetic." I whispered, flinging her to the ground. That's when I found Kat, trying to climb to her feet. She noticed me as I set my sights on her, walking towards the pink ranger. That was my color. I should be the one wearing it, not her. She robbed me of my powers, my friends, and Tommy. And I was going to give just exactly when she had coming to her next.

"Kim, you have to fight the evil!" She exclaimed, back handing a metal putty as it sprang towards her. I chuckled, continuing to walk forward.

"Evil is like evil does." I replied, liking how deep and menacing my voice was. She held her hand out and I grabbed her wrist.

"Don't do this!" She cried as I put her in a hold. I held her there, knowing I could snap it right in half with a blink of an eye. In my mind, I pictured what I was about to do to her. I was going to break her arms, her legs, every damn bone in her body. Then, I would make sure she watched as I took the rest of my anger out on the one who promised to love me for the rest of his life. If they wanted to be together so fucking bad, they were going to spend the rest of their short lives knowing that I was the one who got the last laugh. They weren't going to hurt me anymore. No one was. They were going to feel the pain they put me through, the anguish. Tommy was going to see just how bad he had hurt me and why I was about to snap his perfectly little girlfriend like a twig.

"No!" Tommy yelled behind me. "Leave her alone." He grabbed my shoulder and pulled me off of the blonde bimbo. I turned to face him, gleefully ready to inflict pain on him. "You can't do this, Kimberly." He let go of me and reached up to his helmet. Releasing the clasps, he pulled it off his head. "Listen to me, Kim. It's me. It's Tommy. Please, look at me." He gave me a pleading look, one that made anger flare throughout my body. Why the hell did he think this was going to work? Did he think I was just going to swoon over his pony tail like I did when I was fifteen?

' _Stop it_!', a different voice screamed in my head. ' _You can't hurt him_!' I shook my head, trying to stifle it. ' _You love him. You can't hurt him. You need to wake up_.'

"We're your friends, Kimberly." Kat said on the other side of me.

"Friends?" I let out a dark chuckle. "Some friends you are. I don't have any friends. I am going to make you pay for what you did to me." Tommy gave me a questioning look before Jason grabbed him from behind, forcing him to turn. His helmet flew to the floor as Jason gripped him by the throat, holding him slightly off the ground. Jason threw him forward and Tommy stumbled back. Grinning, I turned back to Kat. "Oh yeah? And sweetie, pink is out." Lifting my foot, I kicked her as hard as I could in the midriff. She flew back, holding her stomach as she landed.

"Jason, no! I don't want to hurt you." Tommy said as Jason backed him towards the pit where Maligore was waiting. Jason kicked him again and Tommy fell backwards, half dangling off the ledge.

' _Go save him_!' The voice screamed in my head. 'For the love of God, wake up and save him.'

"Stop it." I said, rubbing my temples.

' _Not until you listen to me. Maligore has a spell on you. You need to shake out of it before Tommy and the rest of the Rangers die. Tommy is about to die unless you do something about it_.'

"He deserves it." I whispered, glaring at Tommy as Jason held him above the pit. "For what he did to me. What him and Kat both did to me."

' _They didn't do anything! You're the one that broke up with him. It's okay to still have feelings for him but you can't keep thinking that it's Tommy's fault that you aren't happy. You let him go._ ' The feeling of power quivered for a moment and I felt a wave of nausea hit me. The voice was right. Tommy wasn't the bad guy here. He came here to save me. He had tried to get me to break the spell by risking his life. He was here. He didn't hate me or choose Kat over me.

' ** _But what about Kat? She still has the man you love_**.' The deeper, warmer voice said in my ear. Jason was choking Tommy now, his whole body leaning over him as he tried to push the long-haired leader of the Power Rangers into the pit with Maligore. He roared out with pleasure as Tommy slipped a little bit further in.

' _You can't talk to Tommy if he's dead, you idiot! You need to wake the fuck up and stop Jason from throwing him in there_.' The other voice screamed.

"Into the fire." I chanted, a smile coming over my lips as I watched the two fight.

' _Kimberly, WAKE UP!_ ' The voice demanded. It vibrated in my skull. ' _Tommy is the love of your life. You can't let him die. You need to do something_.'

"Into the fire." I repeated, trying my best to ignore the voice reasoning with me. Each time it spoke, the power faded away. I didn't like the feeling, the guilt coming between it. Suddenly, I felt something envelop my entire body. I saw a golden glow and I let out a gasp as another power filled my body.

' _Yes! That's it! Embrace the love_.' The voice said, sounding happier. The anger quickly flowed out of my body as I felt Maligore drift out of me. My eyes widened at the reality of what was happening to me. As it did, I saw Tommy kick Jason over his head. Jason tumbled forward, face first into the volcano. Tommy spun quickly, reaching out and grabbing Jason's hand. I could hear him grunt as he struggled to keep his grip on Jason.

"Tommy! Hang on!" I called out, running towards him. Diving forward, I landed next to him. Jason was struggling against Tommy's grip, trying to break free. Tommy gave me a desperate but hopeful look.

"Kim? Are you okay?"

"I'm with you, Tommy." I replied, bending down and grabbing Jason's hand.


	13. Chapter 12

A/N: Evening, everyone! Hope you all had a great weekend. Here is another chapter. Heads up; this is an M chapter for some obvious reasons. :)

Remember to R&R! Enjoy.

* * *

 _ **Tommy – The Past**_

"Congrats, guys!" Rocky exclaimed, limping his way towards us. Around the juice bar, I saw a number of people. Of course, Adam, Jason and I were here, being the guests of honor in Ernie's celebratory round of smoothies. The tournament had been hard but thankfully, we had pulled through and won it. Now, the children's center would be able to provide a lot more services to the kids of Angel Grove, including Justin. He was sitting in the corner, talking to Aisha and Adam. I smirked at the sight of him, knowing he was going to be a great Ranger someday. He already was good at it but with some training, I had no doubt he would make a great leader as well.

"Thanks, man. How's your back?" I asked, giving him a gentle hug. He was still using a crutch, but he smiled.

"Great! I should be good to go in no time. Though, I hear you've replaced me already." He winked at Justin who blushed a deep red color. Jason ruffled up his shaggy hair, a supportive smile on his lips.

"Kid's pretty good. I think he could give Tommy a run for his money." Jase said, winking at me.

"Cause Tommy's old." Justin said. I scoffed, shaking my head.

"Careful who you call old there, kid. I'm technically your boss now." I said, raising an eyebrow at him.

"Yeah. Yeah." He rolled his eyes, walking towards the juice bar. Kat was sitting next to me at the table, a strawberry smoothie in her hand. Her eyes caught mine and she smiled, reaching out and putting a hand over mine. I ran a thumb over hers before turning to Jason.

"Where's Kim?" I asked. "I didn't see her come in."

"I think she headed back to the hotel to pack. Her flight leaves tonight. You know her. She probably has fifteen pairs of shoes to fit into one bag." The group laughed, and I forced one, a feeling of sadness sweeping into the bit of my stomach. She was gone already? I was hoping to talk to her. I had so much to ask her and I didn't get a chance to speak to her after we left the island. Damn it, I thought.

"Shoot." Adam said, fishing through his gym bag. "I think I left my gloves on the matt. They're my favorite too." He tossed the bag down, frowning.

"Hey, don't worry." I replied, standing up. "I have to head back over there and lock things up anyway. I'll grab them and then I will see you guys at Rocky's place."

"Want me to come with you?" Kat asked, standing as well. I shook my head.

"I'll be fine. See you guys in a bit!" I waved at them before jogging out of the youth center. I ran across the street, heading into the back door of the Angel Grove Rec Center. In the distance, I could hear the faint whistling of the John, the janitor, coming from the bathrooms just outside of the auditorium. He waved as I neared, the grey hairs gentleman smiling. "Hey, John. I came by to lock up. You almost done?"

"Just about." He said, pushing a yellow mop bucket. "But I think there still someone in the aud."

"Really?" I asked, confused. "I'll tell them we're locking up. Take your time." Turning, I walked over to the double doors that led to the center of the building. Earlier, it had been filled with the cheers and applause of about two hundred people. Now, it was dead silent. In the middle of the room, the ring was still set up. A sea of chairs circled it all around. To my surprise, the ring wasn't empty though. Sitting on the edge of it was Kimberly. She was staring off into space, sitting on the edge of the ring. Her feet draped over the apron and she leaned against the two lower ropes for support. I stood there for a moment, watching her. She must have been deep in thought, the only sound she made was a sniffle here or there. I wondered what she was thinking about or rather who. Most people don't go off on their own to think about things that didn't involve certain people in their lives. Tucking my hands into my jean pockets, I walked down the steps towards the ring.

"Hey." I called out as I neared the bottom. She jumped at the sound of my voice, whirling around to see who was there. She let out a little gasp when she saw it was me, whipping at her face with her hands. Had she been crying? Her eyes were slightly puffy, a pinkness to them. She had been. I could tell. Looking at her now, I could just see tiredness in her features. I wasn't sure if it was from the excitement over the course of the last few days or if maybe it was life in general. It suddenly dawned on me that I didn't even know what she was doing with her life. I know that Jason had mentioned something about her getting picked for the US team this year. What else was she up to now? Had I really let what happened between the two of us put such a wedge and strain on what was a friendship I valued?

"Hi." She said, pulling her feet into the ring so she could stand up. I hopped up onto the edge of it, bending under the top rope so I could enter. "Good job. Congrats on the win. Not that I had any doubt in you guys."

"Thanks. I was looking for you at the youth center. Jase said you might have left for the hotel already."

"Oh." She said, her fingers twisting together nervously in front of her. "I was going to head back there but I sorta got lost in thought while I was here."

"Happens to me all the time. I'm actually glad. With everything going on, we didn't get a chance to talk. It's been so long. How are things?" I asked. She plastered her fakest smile on her face and looked up at me.

"Great!" She replied. "I mean, besides the whole getting kidnapped part but that's something to expect in our world I suppose."

"So…why were you sitting here crying?" I asked softly.

"What?" She asked, seeming surprised by my question. "I wasn't crying."

"Kim…it's me." She glanced at me for a second before sighing.

"Tommy, I can't do this with you." She whispered, tears lining her eyes. "When I was heading home, I was excited about seeing everyone. I thought I would just stroll into town and it would be like old times. And it was for the most part, evil and all. I just didn't expect that I would have to deal with everything that happened since I left." Walking over, she leaned against the top rope. The red colored plastic dug into the skin on her forearms as she closed her eyes. "I thought I was over our break up but apparently, I'm not."

"What do you mean?" It was my turn to be surprised. What was she saying? Did she regret breaking up? The letter? Because that would make two of us. She shook her head.

"I didn't think us breaking up was going to cause such a strain on everyone else." She said, glancing at me over her shoulder. "I know that everyone looked at me like the enemy when it first happened. It was very clear. But, it was something I thought everyone would be over by now. Being here, I can tell that a few of them still feel that was. Especially Adam, Rocky…and Kat." She trailed off, turning back towards the empty sea of chairs. "Not that I blame them. I did something that was selfish. I broke up with because of a rumor I heard. Though, I can see that there was a small amount of truth behind it now."

"What rumor?" I asked, taking a step towards her. She gave a sad smile, taking the rope in her hands and leaning back on her heels.

"That you had feelings for Kat. It's okay, Tommy. I think I always sorta knew that it was bound to happen. I mean, she was here, and I was 3,000 miles away. Only an idiot would think feelings wouldn't happen. I figured that it would be best for everyone involved if I just ended us before someone got hurt. Of course,…I guess we still did get hurt. At least you anyways. I didn't mean for that to happen."

"You broke up with me because you thought I had feelings for Kat?" I asked. She nodded. "What about that other guy you wrote about?"

"I may have been feeling petty and wanted to make you jealous. Not my most shining moments but it made me feel better at the time. I wanted you to feel what I was feeling. There was no other guy. There never has been."

"Kim, I didn't have any feeling for Kat until you broke up with me. When I got the letter, it was quite the blow. Not sure if it was more to my ego or my heart. Probably both. I couldn't believe that you found someone else. I was at a loss of what to do. I thought about coming to ask you what happened. Or calling and begging you to take me back. I couldn't bring myself to do either though. I didn't want to face the reality that you really didn't want to be with me. It was too much." I said, hanging my head. "Moving on wasn't something I thought I would have to do and it's not something I think I've one completely, either."

"So, it's safe to say we're both fucked up in this department then." She said, both of us letting out soft chuckles.

"I think so." I gave her a small smile. "Kim, why didn't you call me if you still wanted to be with me?"

"You're with Kat now. I didn't want to cause trouble on the team." Shit. Katherine. For a moment, I had completely forgotten about her. "Tommy, you can't let what I'm telling you come between your duty as a ranger and your duty to Kat. She deserves better than that."

"Yeah. She does." A silence fell between us. Slowly, I raised my eyes until they locked with hers. Before I could stop myself, I strode forward two quick steps and pressed my lips to hers. Her hands instantly found their way into my hair, gingerly combing through the tresses that made my pony tail where they connected to my scalp. Cupping her face in my hands, I kissed her with everything I had in me. It was something I had wanted to do for two years almost now. Something I had missed so desperately that I couldn't resist it now.

"Tommy…" She breathed as we parted for air. Her eyes slowly opened, filled with emotional lust.

"How far is your hotel?" I asked, pressing my lips against hers again.

Twenty minutes later, Kimberly and I were walking up the long hallway of the Quality Inn connected to the Angel Grove hotel. She pulled out a key card from her purse and slid it into the door of room 311. The light above the handle lit up green and I could hear the locking mechanism click. Pushing the door, she entered the room. I followed behind her, making sure no one was in the hallway to see.

As soon as the door was shut behind me, I scooped Kim up in my arms and kissed her again. She pulled my coat off my shoulders, pushing it off my arms as I walked her towards the queen-sized bed in the modest hotel room. My knees hit the edge of the bed, and I sat her down on the beige colored bed spread. I found the hem of her shirt and pulled, breaking from the kiss long enough to get it off of her torso. This exposed her light pink bra. It cupped her breasts nicely, just how they used to look the last time we had been together. She grabbed my red t-shirt and I helped her pull it over my head.

Laying her back, I crawled over her body until I was able to kiss her. I could feel her trying to get the buckle of my belt undone. It made the blood in my body run hot and it grew when she slipped it out of the loops of my waist. It slapped the bed side table as she tossed it to the floor and I found myself running my hands down her body until I found the top of her jean shorts. I had to button through the loop in the blink of an eye and I unzipped them with one hand. Sitting up, I grabbed her shorts and pulled them off her slender legs. Her sneakers came as well, leaving her in just her bra and matching underwear. They were pink as well lace with a small white bow where the elastic sat under her belly button.

Sitting up, Kim reached behind her back and unclasped her bra. Slowly, she pulled the straps off her shoulders and tossed it to the side with the rest of her clothes. I stood off the bed, pulling my pants off and leaving my green flannel boxer shorts. I kicked my boots off before kneeling back on the bed. She laid back against the feather pillows and I nibbled on the skin on her neck. I could feel her pulse under my lips, it quickening as our skin touched. Mine felt hot like fire, sweat forming on the small of my back. Tucking my thumbs into the top of her underwear, I slid them off. I pulled back slightly, taking the sight of her in as she was sprawled out underneath me.

"You're beautiful." I whispered, kissing her again. I left a trail of kisses from her neck all the way down her collar bone. Travelling down the area of her skin between her breasts, I ran my hands down the length of her body. It arched when my tongue flicked the right nipple, a small whine coming from the back of her throat. I moved to the other one, a similar cry coming from her. Her fingers tangled into my hair as I heard my name on her lips as she panted. I continued to make my way down until I was between her legs. Spreading them gently with my hands, I slipped my tongue in between the folds of her and let it lap up her essence. Her cries came out louder as I repeated the action and it became wetter as well.

"Tommy!" She cried, her back arching. It gave me more access and I kept assaulting her bud with the lip of my tongue until I felt her convulsions begin. She shuddered and melted in my hands, giving the poor soul in the room next to us a reason to wish they weren't there as she screamed my name. I gave a few more gently licks as she came down from the orgasm. Climbing back up the bed, I smiled when I saw her panting heavily on the bed. She lifted her hands and released me from the opening of my boxes. I was standing at an attention, the tip of it throbbing from the very sight of her. She spread her legs wider and looked up at me with eyes filled with something I couldn't describe. I licked my lips, leaning in to kiss her. As I did, I slid slowly inside of her. A hiss came from me as I did, the feeling of her heat around me like heaven. I closed my eyes, taking it inch at a time. I hadn't slept with anyone since the last time I had been with Kim. Kat and I hadn't gotten to this point yet, mainly due to me missing Kim. I would never admit that to her though. When I was all the way in, I lifted my head to look at her.

"I've missed you." I whispered.

"Me too." She said back, smiling at me. Pulling my hips back, I slid back inside of her. I did this a few times, so we could find our rhythm. Soon, she was crying out underneath me and I was doing my best to hang on as long as I could. The feeling of going over the edge was coming, and I knew it was going to be soon. She clung to me, her nails digging into my back as her cries grew louder. I tucked my face into neck, sinking my teeth slightly into her skin as my orgasm began to wash over me.

"Fuck. Kim." I panted. I felt her release too and I let go, both of us calling out each other's names as we did.


	14. Chapter 13

**A/N: Hi everyone! Here's another TWO chapters for you. I am pretty amazed with myself for that. I hope everyone is enjoying it. I promise things are really going to start connecting in the next few chapters. Please be patient. As always, thank you for reading and I appreciate the reviews! Please remember to leave one if you like what you read...or even if you hate it! **

**Disclaimer: I have no rights to the Power Rangers though I do have quite the collection devoted to them! 8)**

* * *

 **Kimberly**

"What happened?" Kimberly asked as Hermes' locked my cell door. He gave me a kind smile before shuffling off. I rubbed my wrists where they had rubbed the shackles of the chair, a slight bump forming on my right one.

"They made me record something to send to Tommy." I replied, feeling drained. I was so incredibly pissed at myself. I had just set Tommy up to walk right into a trap. There was no way in hell he was just going to not run in and try to save me, regardless of which Tommy she was hoping to catch. She probably had better luck with teen Tommy. He still hadn't found a reason to hate me yet. He was still young and naïve. My Tommy – well, my time Tommy – would have no desire to save me now.

"What was it?" Sighing, I glanced up at Kimberly. She was leaning against her bars, her face between two of them while her hands gripped the lower section below. I'm not sure if it'll ever be not weird looking at myself like this.

"She is giving him 24 hours to surrender himself or else she's going to kill us." I said softly. Her eyes widened in shock and for the first time since she arrived, a small glint of fear crossing them. She knew exactly what my worst fear was. She knew exactly what was going to happen. She knew because it was exactly what she would be doing if the roles were switched.

"What are we going to do?" She whispered, emotion thick in the back of her throat.

"We are going to break out of here, get to Goldar's sword, and stop Rita's plan." I said giving her a determined smile. "I mean, you are still a Power ranger, after all. Even one has the power enough to change something."

"Wow." She said. "I guess Zordon does make quite an impact on my life. Do you still see him?" She asked. Kid, I'm trying to give you confidence here. Don't make me have to tell you that your mentor dies.

"Not so much. I'm kind of busy." I replied. "Do you have anything in your cell that you can use as a weapon?" I asked quickly, hoping to change the subject. She turned, glancing around her cell.

"There's a few little rocks and then a stool. What about you?"

"The same." I swore under my breath.

"What about the guy that brings the food? He's seems like an easy target." I shook my head.

"I tried that already. He'll be on his toes now." I thought for a moment, pressing my forehead against the bar in front of me. It was cool against my skin and for a brief moment, I thought about my mother. Did she know I was missing yet? Was she worried? I hadn't called her in a few days which was normal for us. Would she even know I was gone? Did Andrea? Was she safe? Had something happened to her as well?

"She's going to kill us, isn't she?" Kim asked in a meek voice, pulling me out of my thoughts. I shifted so I was looking at her and saw nothing but despair on her—our features. I shook my head.

"No, she's not. Come on. You told me that I couldn't give you, neither can you. Try breaking a part your stool. We can use the nails holding it together to try and break the lock." She nodded, walking deeper into her cell. I grabbed my stool as well, banging it against the stone wall. A piece of wood splinters off, landing by my feet. I heard her pounding as well and I hoped that Goldar or anyone else couldn't hear the noise we were making. Another piece splinter, this time longer and sharp. Bending down, I picked the piece up and tucked it into the waist band of my pants. There was a loud crack and Kimberly let out an excited cry.

"I got it. There's three of them." She said, coming back to the bars. She held them up, two small ones and one long one. One of the small ones was still embedded into a piece of wood. I hit the wall again and one of the legs on my stool broke off. There was a nail on the end of it and I picked it up. Carefully, I pulled it from the wood and ran over to the door.

"Try to pick the lock." I said, glancing up the hallway to make sure no one was coming.

"I don't know how to pick a lock!" She exclaimed. "Do I look like I would know how to do that?"

"Well, that's why I said try." I replied. Reaching through the bars, I felt around until I found the key hole under the handle. Taking the nail, I slid it inside of the hole and twisted it. I felt the small piece of metal scrap against the metal inside the tumblers, but the handle didn't move. I didn't know what the hell I was doing either, but it was a better option then sitting here, waiting for the younger version of Tommy to walk into the trap I had helped set up for him. Across from me, Kim was trying the same thing. I kept one eye on the doorway of the hall as I tried like hell to get out of here.

"Tommy and I aren't together in your time, are we?" Kim asked, breaking the silence as we worked. The question threw me off guard and I hesitated a moment before glancing at her.

"No." I said softly, feeling ashamed. "How did you know?"

"Every time I bring him up, I can see it in your eyes. If I asked, would you tell me what happened?" I shook my head.

"Somethings are better to be left unsaid, I suppose. And you can't let that get in the way of what you have with Tommy. Trust me. Things get really good for the two of you." I smiled at her, remembering some of my favorite memories of when I was her age. "You and the whole team, actually. Life just gets in the way. It's something I shouldn't have let happen but it's not something I can change now."

"When was the last time you saw him?"

"About a year ago." I said, hearing something in the lock click. I tried to pull on the door, but it didn't budge. "It gets a bit complicated. Take my advice and don't let it."

"Can't really do that if you don't tell me what to avoid."

"It's better for you to live through than for me to tell you." I replied. It was the truth. It wasn't because I didn't want her to know. It was because I couldn't bring myself to say the words out loud. It was messy, complicated and downright heart breaking to even think about. Saying it would make it more concrete, something that I couldn't let myself deal with. I've been in denial for a year now and it's been the only way I can live a semi-normal life.

"Kim!" Kimberly hissed, pulling me back to reality. "Someone is coming!" She hissed. I pulled the nail out of the lock and stepped away from the bars as the sound of heavy footsteps made their way up the hall towards us. She also shrunk back, taking her nails with her. Goldar emerged in the doorway and I instantly glared at him.

"What now?" I asked. He returned my glare, placing his hands on his hips.

"I didn't come for you. I came for her." He pointed at Kimberly. "Come on. Empress Rita has requested you." Pulling a set of keys from the area near his sword, he walked over to her cell. She stepped back from the door, planting her feet on the ground.

"I'm not going with you." She said, that fiery attitude I was proud of in high school poking through. Goldar growled, unlocking her door and swinging it open. Reaching out, he grabbed her by the throat and slammed her into the wall of her cell.

"No!" I exclaimed, running to my bars. This Goldar was definitely different than the one we fought as kids. He was more ruthless and the look of bloodlust in his eyes as he smiled over at me made my skin crawl.

"I can't wait for Rita to tell me I can do what I wish with the both of you. I have some big plans. Starting with that big mouth of yours." He turned back to Kimberly who looked at me with such fright, it made my chest tighten. He released her, and she crumpled to the floor, gasping for breath. Grabbing a handful of hair, he dragged her from her cell and towards the hall. As he passed my cell, he reached up and grabbed the one orb of light in the containment area. He threw it to the ground, it smashing into a million little pieces. Darkness blasted through the area and all I could hear was his laughter as his boots headed away from me.

"Kimberly, hold on!"

* * *

In the darkness that now surrounded me, it was hard to keep my mind off of what they could be doing to her. The sick joy on Goldar's face made my stomach turn almost violently and I prayed that they were just making her film something like they had done with me. Sighing, I closed my eyes. It didn't do much. It was just as dark that way. I had tried to pick the lock with the nail but found it almost impossible without any light to help me. I kept the nail in my hand though, not wanting to lose it in the nothingness that swallowed me whole.

I strained my ears to try and hear something, anything, that would tell me where she might be. There was nothing. Not even the slightest scuff of a boot or claw. I'd give anything to have Hermes come now, just so that I could get some light and maybe some information. He didn't come though. Hours seemed to pass and still, they kept Kimberly somewhere. Fear and dread set into my chest and I would have paced if I didn't fear tripping over something and dying. I felt my way back over to the door of the cell and tried the lock again. Every now and then, it would scrap across the tumblers but not give enough for the lock to open. I swore each time, willing it to just give already.

The sound of faint footsteps in the hallway made me freeze. I listened for a second, determining they were heading my way. I couldn't tell who they were though. Goldar's wear heavy and assertive where Hermes were more scuffing and timider. I could barely hear these ones, but I did. I slunk back into the cell, making sure to tuck the nail into the pocket of my pants. Whoever was coming, they didn't want to be heard. I wished for a sliver of light, so I could find the stool to use as a weapon. It couldn't be done though, especially quietly. They would hear me stumbling around if I even tried to find it. Instead, I took refuge in the back corner of my cell, hoping whoever it was would be unable to sense I was there.

The footsteps were closer now, the soft steps seeming to be light as air as they entered the dungeon chamber. For a second, I thought I could see a figure moving in the darkness from my place tucked in the hay, but I knew that was a silly thought. I couldn't see a damn thing. Not even my hand in front of my face. The steps came closer to my cell and I could hear breathing. The figure became deadly silent, not a peep coming from him or myself as I listened intently.

"Kimberly?" A hushed whisper said into the black around us. Relief filled my chest at the sound of my name being spoken by someone other than Rita and Goldar. "Are you in there?"

"Yes!" I whispered back, climbing back to my feet. There was the sound of movement and suddenly, a pale green light filled the darkness. I blinked at the sudden brightness, covering my eyes so they could adjust. As they did, I realized that there was a Power Ranger standing on the other side of the bars as me. Green spandex with white diagonal shapes and a gold shield over the chest and shoulders, the Green Ranger faced me. I could see my reflection in the visor of his helmet, something I hadn't seen in the better half of twenty years. The ranger was holding a green orb in his hand and he reached up and set it in the same holder the one Goldar had smashed sat. He brought his hands up to his helmet and I heard him undo the clasps on the side. As he pulled it off, I felt my heart swell slightly at the sight of 16-year-old Tommy Oliver.

"Kimberly?" He asked, sounding a bit concerned to see me. "What did Rita _do_ to you?" Wow. Okay. Hold off on the charm there, Tommy. I smiled back at him, choosing to not lecture him on being nice to his elders.

"I'm not your Kimberly." I explained. "Well…not anymore. I'm Kimberly, twenty years in the future."

"Right. Okay." He gazed at me confused, unsure of what to do with this information.

"I know that's a lot to take in right now, but you've got to get to Kimberly. Goldar took her somewhere, hours ago. I don't know what they are planning but you need to get to her and you need to get Goldar's sword." He raised an eyebrow at me, his brown eyes looking just as soft as I remembered them being. His hair wasn't long enough for a ponytail yet but was still shaggy, a piece hanging in front of his face.

"Goldar's sword? Why?"

"Fuck. I wish I knew exactly what time you guys are. You'd know what I was talking about then. Goldar's sword has some kind of travelling power. We can use it to get back to Earth." He smirked.

"Well, alright then. Let me get you out of here and we can get Kim." I shook my head.

"You go. I can get myself out of this cell. Meet me back here with her."

"Are you sure?" Tommy asked.

"Yes. I'll be okay." I looked at him one more time, taking in his features. It made me miss being a kid. Being there with him and having such a little care in the world. Well, besides Rita's shit.

"I'll be right back." He replied, winking at me. Even twenty years later, it made my legs weak at the knees. He clasped his helmet back on before heading back up the hallway where he had come.

"And I'll be right here." I muttered, fishing the nail from my pocket again.


	15. Chapter 14

**A/N: And here's the second chapter! You guys are going to have to forgive me on this one and the next few of them in Tommy's POV. They are going to deal with Ranger series I have never seen before. I am going to try my hardest to get their story lines right but if I mess up, this would be why! FYI, I do touch on the 25th anniversary episode in this chapter. Tommy's new morpher is not mentioned for a reason you will have to wait and see!**

 **Please remember to R &R!**

* * *

 **Tommy**

"You are out of your fucking mind." Jason said, shaking his head for what seemed the millionth time as he paced the area next to the bed in our hotel room.

"What else am I supposed to do?" I asked, putting my face in my hands. He was taking the news of the video I had found well. After the police showed up and took our statements, I waited until we were back at the hotel room to tell him. I also told him that I was going to do what Rita wanted to make sure that Kim would be coming back safe. He obviously did not agree with my decision.

"How about come up with another plan? Any other plan! Just going there and giving yourself to Rita is nothing short of a suicide mission. We will find another way to save Kimberly. We don't have our powers anymore, Tommy. You can't just go running there like the knight in shining armor anymore." I stood up, putting my hands on my hips.

"Jase, this is the only sure-fire way we know of that can get Kim back safely. Besides, if I'm up there, we can figure out a way to stop whatever shit she has planned."

"We already know what she has planned!" He exclaimed. "She's using Kim to get to you. Why else would she have taken Kim, killed the guard where you were and then left you a ransom note? She wants you, so she can put you under an evil spell again."

"But why? You said it yourself that I don't have powers anymore. Not even my Dino Thunder ones. What good would I be to here as just me?"

"I don't know but I don't think we can afford to find that out. Aisha, Rocky and Zack should be here any time now. They're getting a shuttle. Once they get here, we can figure something out. For right now, you need to promise me that you aren't going to run off, halfcocked, trying to save Kim."

"Jason-." He held up his hand, stopping me.

"I'm fucking serious, dude. Promise me or else we are going to spend the night twenty-four hours handcuffed to each other." He gave me a serious, expectant look until I reluctantly nodded. "Good. Did you send that video to Billy?"

"Yeah. He's trying to analyze it now to figure out if there is some way Rita is cloaking her signal on the moon. Part of me thinks that she's in a hidden dimension like the one she used to lock us in all the time. He said that once he figures it out, he'll let us know. He was hoping the high council would be able to help him teleport here to help us, but they are unable to due to the tension between them and another planet. They were afraid something might happen to him during the trip." Sighing, Jason sat down in the chair in the corner.

"You know what I don't get? Goldar killed that guy. He gutted him right up the middle. In all the years we fought Goldar and Rita, I have never seen him kill someone like that before. Sure, he threatened to but never went through with it. Why now?" I frowned, looking down at the toe of my boot.

"I've seen him do it." I said softly. "When I was under Rita's control. She sent us to Signa, another planet nearby so that he could train me on the Sword of Darkness. I helped him slaughter entire villages. When we came back, Rita was pleased but I knew something was different. She told him that she wanted me to be in charge of the attack on Angel Grove. She demoted him, and he stopped killing. It was like she made him feel weak or something. It was the same when Zedd came into the picture. Neither of them respected Goldar as the warrior he could be. He was their whipping boy."

"So, Goldar suddenly decides he wants to start killing again? Something just doesn't add up to me." There was a knock at the door and I stood up from the bed. Walking to the door, I peeked through the peep hole and saw three people standing there. Unlocking it, I pulled the door open and saw Zach Taylor and Aisha and Rocky DeSantos standing there. Zach smiled at me, pulling me in for a hug as he entered the room. The African American man still stood shorter than me, his black hair trimmed close to his scalp. He was dressed in a black pull over hoodie and a pair of jeans, probably the most down dressed I had ever seen him in. He walked over and hugged Jason, letting Aisha come towards me next. She hugged me, giving me a quick peck on the cheek as she did. Her mixed complex made her brown eyes pop and a look of sympathy was in her eyes as I looked down at her. Her hair wasn't in its usual braids, instead cut to below her ears and straightened. She was in a yellow and black sweater dress, black leggings underneath it. Behind her, her husband nodded at me. Rocky looked just as he did always. His olive skin was tanned, and his brown hair was short in the back and longer on top, combed over to his left. Aisha walked into the room, allowing Rocky to hug me. He clapped me on the back twice before releasing me. I gave a quick glance around the parking lot, checking for any sign of Goldar or Rita before shutting the door.

"Well, so much for a stress-free holiday." Zach said, setting his suit case on the floor next to the bed. Jason nodded, glancing over at me.

"Any news on Kim?" Aisha asked, perching herself on the edge of my bed. I nodded, rubbing the back of my head.

"I got a video message from her. Well, more like from Rita." Leaning over, I pressed a button on the keyboard of the computer. On the screen, the video of Kimberly began to play. The three of them crowded around the makeshift desk, watching as it played. When it cut off at the end, silence feel between them. "Billy is trying to see if he can figure out where it came from so we can get a better sense of where Rita is operating out of."

"Wasn't that the Moon Palace?" Rocky asked, crossing his arms over his chest. He was standing next to Jason, his blue zip up jacket popping against Jason's leather jacket. I nodded.

"It was but Trini scanned the moon and found no traces of anyone on it. It's possible she is hiding in a pocket dimension. We'll know more once Billy gets back to us."

"Now what though?" Zach asked, glancing between Jason and me. "Are you going to give yourself over to Rita?"

"I want to." I answered. Jason rolled his eyes.

"He's not going to because that would be incredibly fucking stupid on his part." He added. I bit my tongue, wanting to fight more but I knew it was no use. It would probably be four against one now. I was highly outnumbered. And he was right. Whatever Rita wanted with me was probably nothing good for Earth.

"When is Trini getting here?" Aisha questioned, hoping to change the mood. Jason glanced at his watch.

"In a couple hours. She was able to change flights last minute. She's going to keep contact with all of us though on her way. Right now, we need to come up with any idea on how we can get to the moon and save Kim. Anyone happen to have the number to NASA on speed dial?" Jason replied.

"Can't say that I do. But, I can moon walk better than Michael, god rest his soul." Zach said. I said down in the chair by the computer and rested my elbows on my knees.

"Do we have any contact with the current teams?" Rocky asked.

"I have some. Rocky and I worked with the Ninja Steel team a couple years ago on a mission. They are still active. There are a few members of the Megaforce team that are connected and my kids from Dino Thunder are still involved but don't have their powers any more. I think Adam might have more connections after working against Thrax but I'm not quite who though." I explained. I thought back to my mission with the Ninja Steel rangers, fighting against Lord Drayvon. He was hoping to destroy the multiverse, kidnapping Rangers from all teams. He made some evil versions of Rangers, including myself. I ended up fighting against myself at one point. We were able to defeat Drayvon and his army, saving the world. It was right before things went very south for Kat and me, something that I saw as a turning point of our marriage. She saw how much I missed being in action and she couldn't stand it. Of course, that wasn't the only reason.

"We should reach out to them. Maybe one of those teams as a way to get access to the moon and can survey it. That way, we can know where Rita is and what we are up against." Aisha said. I nodded, reaching for my cell phone. My computer began to ring loudly, causing Zach and Aisha to jump.

"Jesus, what the hell is that?!" Zach asked, looking alarmed. Billy's name crossed the screen and I pressed the answer button. His image appeared, and he seemed shocked to see Aisha, Rocky and Zach behind me.

"Oh. Hello everyone!" He said, adjusting his glasses. "It's good to see all of you."

"Hey, Billy. How are you?" Zach asked.

"Well, they could be better I suppose." He replied.

"How goes the video?" Jason spoke, reminding Billy why he was calling.

"Right. I was able to analyze the video. It took quite some time, but I was able to pull some data from it. Kimberly is definitely at the Moon Palace. In the throne room to be precise. Based on my calculations, Kim seems to be unharmed. Her heart rate in the video is elevated but that is to be expected. I didn't detect any type of injury." He stated, gazing down at a tablet in front of him.

"Great. We can get to the moon, save Kimberly, and take down Rita." I said, standing up.

"Not exactly." Billy said, catching my attention. "I mean, you can go to the moon, but Kimberly will not be there."

"What do you mean, Billy? You just said that's where the video was shot." Aisha asked, seeming confused.

"Affirmative. Kimberly is on the moon. In the year 1998." Billy stated, frowning.

"Well…that could be a problem." Rocky replied, the rest of us glancing back and forth at each other.

"So, it's Rita from when we were kids. We were able to beat her then. I'm sure as full-grown adults, we will be fine." Zach said, giving me a reassuring smile. Jason shook his head.

"There's something different about this Rita and Goldar. They seem more ruthless than they were before. And we had powers. How the hell are we supposed to time travel now?" He asked. For the first time since my arrival to Florida, true fear crept into my belly. He was right. We seemed to be up against the possible. Even though we knew where Kim was now, there was no way for us to get to her. Even if we did have powers, there had only been a handful of times where we had been able to time travel. And that was with Billy being there in person and the technology of the Command Center. Granted I had some cool gadgets in my lab, but it was nothing close in comparison to what we had back then.

"Tommy, it may be time to call upon the Power Ranger Council." Billy said, addressing me. I nodded, sitting in front of the monitor, I pulled up another program, slightly blocking Billy from view.

"The Power Ranger Council?" Zach asked. "What is that?"

"It's a team I sort of put together after the Dino Thunder team went inactive. It's the teams after that. We use our technology to keep tabs on the Earth, making sure nothing is coming in or out undetected. If we find something, we transfer it to the current team and they make sure to take care of the problem. Rita must have used time travel to her advantage to get through without one of us being able to sense any trace of her." I replied. The program loaded and a single line flashing in the corner of the box.

Hoovering my fingers over the keyboard, I took a deep breath before typing: CODE RED – T.O. I pressed enter and the screen froze for a moment. A few seconds later, a number sequence appeared. 35.4263659,-86.7427355,5.

"What does that mean?" Rocky asked, pointing at the numbers.

"It's our location." I replied. "It's about to be a whole lot more crowded in here." A bright burst of yellow light appeared by the door and a blonde woman stood there. Gia Moran glanced around the room, taking in the five of us crammed around the computer. The former yellow Megaforce had aged a couple years but still looked full of life. She gave me a small smile before a flash of red appeared next to her. Wesley Collins appeared from that, the brown-haired man standing tall. The former leader of the Time Force Rangers, he had a serious expression on his face. Next, there was another red flash and a blue flash, two men appearing from this. TJ Johnson emerged from the blue light, Andros coming from the right. Both men glanced at each other before looking at us. TJ had been the blue space ranger as well as my replacement on the Turbo team. Andros is human but comes from a space colony known as KO-35. He was the red ranger and leader of the Space Rangers. The four new comers stepped forward, looking straight at me.

"Tommy, what's going on?" Andros asked, shaking my hand.

"Something must be up to call us when you've got these guys all here." TJ added, smiling at Jason. The two had met during our small time working together with the other red rangers.

"Rita Repulsa is back." I stated. Andros looked at me confused.

"That's impossible. She was purified when Zordon's energy was released." He replied. I nodded.

"I know. We're starting to think that this Rita is from earlier in time. She's come back here and she's kidnapped Kimberly Hart, our former team mate and the first pink ranger." I explained. Gia stepped forward now.

"When did she take her?" She asked.

"A couple days ago." I answered. "So far, all we have is security footage of Rita taking her and then a video message she sent to me. Her right-hand man, Golder, has also killed a civilian in Kim's building."

"Have you found where they are located?" Wes asked, taking a firm stance. Slowly, I nodded.

"Affirmative!" Billy called from the computer. Grabbing the mouse, I clicked on the window that had him in it, letting everyone see him again. "She is being held on the moon in the Earth year of 1994."

"She took her to the _past_?" TJ asked, shaking his head.

"Seems like it."

"Okay. We have to figure this all out. Not here though." Wes said, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Looks like we'll be heading to the council chambers."


	16. Chapter 15

**A/N: Hi everyone! Here are two kinda short chapters for you. I am trying to separate things because it will be building quite quickly now and I am hoping to not squish it all in one chapter.**

 **To clarify, Kim is in 1994. I know I put 1998 previously but that was incorrect. Thank you to those who have caught this and let me know! Some times, those details get by me. You guys are the best! Thanks for keeping me on my game.**

 **As always, R &R! Thank you!**

* * *

 **Kimberly**

Minutes passed as I knelt behind the lock, stabbing at it with the nail in my hand. I tried to listen to see if I heard any commotion going on up the hall but there was nothing to be heard. I didn't like how long it was taking Tommy to find Kimberly. It made me nervous that something may have happened to her. She must still be alive or else I wouldn't be here, but I didn't know what they could be doing to her. Or him, now. Shoving the nail into the key hole, I shook the handle as hard as I could. There was a loud click and roughly, the handle turned. It was just enough for me to pull the door open all of the way. I ran out of the cell, grabbing the green orb once I was free of it. Checking to see if the hallway was clear, I started my way up it.

There was a noise coming from the left side of the hallway. It sounded like a buzzing noise. Almost like one you would hear going from a refrigerator or large appliance in a quiet apartment. I kept moving forward and the throne room came into view. I saw Rita's telescope still set up in the same spot as it had been when they had dragged me here. There was no one to be seen though, no sign of Kimberly or Tommy. I kept along the walls of the throne room, shrinking behind curtains when I could. There were two doorways on the left side of the large room and one on the right, minus the large one that led to the balcony that over looked the Earth.

A blood curdling scream suddenly echoed off the walls around me, travelling from the door on the most left side of the room. I recognized it as my own, twenty years ago. Reaching into the waist band of my pants, I pulled out the large stake of wood I had from the stool and gripped it tightly in my hand. Moving forward, I walked through the doorway and found myself in another hall. I set the glowing orb on the floor, not wanting to give myself away. The orbs were lit along this hall, the stone walls glowing as I walked. There was another scream, closer this time and I felt it pass right through my body with a shudder. It was like I could feel it happening to me.

"Keep screaming. I like it." Goldar's gruff voice carried down the hallway. There was a weird noise after it, followed by a whimper. I gripped the stake tightly in my palm, stopping outside of the doorway at the end of the hall. It was a larger room, smaller than the throne room. The walls were stone and a dark grey color, this room missing the red curtains that the throne room had. On one wall, there was a metal shelf with potions in beakers. In the middle of the room, there was a stone slab that Goldar was standing over. Kimberly was laying on top of it, her wrists and ankles clamped into cast iron cuffs built into the table. Goldar pressed a piece of metal against the skin on her thigh, it is glowing white hot. I heard it sear before she screamed. On my leg, I felt my skin tighten in the same place. Pulling up my pant leg, I saw a scar appear that I hadn't had before. There were several there now, each in the same spot on Kimberly. As he pulled the metal away, it glowed pink for a second. Looking around the room, I saw no sign of Tommy. How hadn't he made it here yet? Her screaming could probably be heard on Earth if you listened closely enough. Where was he? Kimberly screamed again, and another scar formed. I couldn't just stand here and let this keep happening.

Taking a deep breath, I forced down all the fear I had in me and ran forward. My bare feet allowed me to be quiet, letting me rush towards Goldar without being heard. Jumping, I landed on his back right between his black feathered wings. Pulling my hand back, I plunged it forward. The wooden stake sank into the meaty flesh of his neck, blood pouring from the wound. He let out a loud yell of pain, trying to reach me with his free hand. He couldn't reach me though. He stepped backwards, swinging his arms aimlessly as he tried his best to get me. The hot metal piece touched my arm, it burning the skin it contacted. I bit back a scream of pain, pulling the stake back out of his neck and plunging it in again. This dropped him to his knees, the metal poker falling to the floor.

"You bitch." He panted, still trying to get me. I retrieved the stake again, bringing it down as hard as I could into the middle of his back. I heard a stomach rolling crunch and he let out a gurgling groan before falling forward. I rolled off of him, trying to catch my breath. He didn't move, his red eyes staring into space from where he laid. Bending over, I grabbed his sword from his belt line. It was heavier than it looked, the gold weapon standing about three quarters of my height. I dragged it with me over to the stone table where Kimberly was going in and out of consciousness.

"Hey. Wake up." I sat, lightly slapping her face. Her eyes opened slowly, the lids looking heavy. I twisted off the cuffs on her hands and feet and she tried to sit up. It didn't work though, her too weak to hold herself up. Wrapping an arm around her back, I hoisted her off the table, so she was standing. She was able to put her arm on my shoulder and I grabbed the sword with my free hand, allowing her to use it as a crutch. "Come on. We have to find Tommy and get the fuck out of here."

"Rita has him." She said in a soft voice. Her head lolled to one side, but she was able to walk forward as we headed into the hallway. She gestured towards another doorway across from it. Slowly, we made our way towards it.

"Tommy, you know you want it." Rita's voice said in a soft tone. Peeking into the room, I saw her standing in a smaller room. It looked like a bed chamber, a four-poster bed in there with red satin sheets and lace curtains from the upper part. Next to the bed, Tommy stood there in is Ranger spandex. His helmet was off, and he was staring intently at a large glowing orb in front of him. It pulsated with a deep green color and I realized that his eye was doing the same thing. "You've missed me. I can see it inside of you."

"Fuck." I whispered. Carefully, I set Kimberly on the ground in the hallway, leaning against the wall. I didn't know what I was going to do. I didn't think my stake would work against Rita. She would just use magic to deflect it anyways. She might even have Tommy under the spell already. If I could get him out now, Zordon and the rest of the rangers might be able to reverse the spell. Gripping the handle of the sword in both of my hands, I lifted it off the ground the best I could. I knew I was only going to get one shot at this. If I missed, we were all going to be dead.

"I can keep you safe from what that pink whore is going to do to you." Rita said, moving closer to Tommy. My eyes narrowed as I glared at her. "Let me protect you from that. She doesn't care about you like I do."

"Fuck you, Rita." I said, drawing her attention towards me. Picking up the sword as high as I could, I sprinted into the room and swung the sword. It missed Rita, it not swinging wide enough to hit her with the blade. It did collide with the orb and the glass cracked.

"No!" She cried, rushing forward to grab it. I took the opportunity to grab Tommy by the scruff of his neck and drag him and the sword from the room. Behind us, I heard Rita sobbing over the giant marble as I made it out into the hallway. Kimberly had managed to pull herself to her feet. Her eyes widened when she saw Tommy and she reached out to help me pull him towards her.

"Grab the sword!" I cried, praying Rita wasn't on our tail. Kimberly reached over and grabbed the handle with me. I pointed the blade towards the ground and she helped me lift it as high as we could. Rita howled out in anger behind us as I brought the blade down. It connected with the stone walk way, gold sparks spraying everywhere. There was a tug at my navel and we were pulled into thin air, the moon palace disappearing around us.

There was a loud pop noise and we landed on grass. It pricked into the skin under me as I tried to figure out just where I was. Sitting up, I saw a pond and blue sky. Next to me, Kimberly laid in the grass, clutching Tommy's arm in her left hand and her abdomen in the other. Rolling over, I crawled towards them. Tommy was still staring into space, his eyes not pulsing green anymore. "What do we do?" She panted, looking up at me.

"This." I grabbed his other wrist, finding his communicator under his glove. Gripping the sword in my hand again, I pressed his teleporting button. In a flash of green, we vanished into the sky. I closed my eyes, the motion making my stomach queasy. It was amazing with the amount of teleporting I did as a kid. It was a true testament of the fact I was getting old. It rang even truer as we slammed into the floor, pain shooting through my knees. I winced, letting go of younger Tommy's communicator. Kimberly was now unconscious on top of him, both of them looking to be in rough shape.

"Umm…who are you?" A voice asked behind me, causing me to jump. Spinning on my ass, I saw that I was certainly not alone. And I was definitely not in 2019. Standing in front of me was the teenaged versions of Trini, Zach, Jason, and Billy. All of them looked extremely confused and guarded, unsure of who the hell I was. Glancing around, I saw we were in the Command Center, something I was hoping for. Next to the kids stood Alpha, the small robot I had seen since the last time I was in this room. My head felt dizzy as I took everything in. So much had happened in the last hour or so and it was beginning to catch up with me. I moved to stand, using Goldar's sword but I stumbled backwards.

"Whoa. Stay there." Kid Jason said to me, stepping forward. I out my forehead in my free palm, closing my eyes. Suddenly, the world tipped, and I saw nothing but black.


	17. Chapter 16

**Tommy**

The entire group that had crammed into our hotel room was now standing in the middle of the spaceship known as the Tavidina. It was Andros' new ship, one he shared with his wife, Ashley, the former yellow space ranger. She met us in the control room of Tavidina when he teleported all of us. I had been here a few times, meeting with the council throughout its creation. Our main center of command was located, and all of our computers use the satellite technology connected to it. To the governments on Earth, it appeared as nothing more than a stagnant meteor that seemed to travel around the planet. It was Billy's idea on how to cloak it. That man will always be the smartest person I know.

"Hi, Tommy." Ashley said, smiling at me as we appeared. She stepped towards me and gave me a friendly hug. Holding me at arm's length, she frowned. "Have you been eating? You seem skinner than the last we saw you."

"I'm fine. It's nice to see you, Ashely. You look well." I eyed the bump under her grey uniform and smirked. "Going for baby number 3 now?" I asked. She nodded, placing her hands over it.

"We figured that Reina and Dana need another sibling to toss around. And you? How are things with Kat?" Behind me, I heard Jason scoff. I shot him a look, not wanting to bring up the subject of my divorce at the moment. We had bigger fish to fry.

"It's a long story. We'll have to catch up after this is over." I replied. She gave me a small smile, patting my on the back.

"If everyone can take a seat, we can get started." Wes announced, walking towards the middle of the room where there was a large rectangular table that could seat 20 people easily with room to spare. It was a silver metallic color, matching chairs around it. On the walls, there were buttons and other controls for the flight of the ship. It seemed to be running in auto pilot at the moment, Andros checking the dials as he headed for his seat at the far-right side of the table. I took the closest seat next to me, Jason sitting on my left and TJ on my other side. Wes stood standing, pressing the only button that was on the table. On the wall directly in front of me, a screen lowered. Billy appeared on it a few moments later, his connection seeming stronger here than back at the hotel.

"Can you see everyone, Billy?" Andros asked. The former blue ranger nodded, adjusting his glasses.

"Affirmative."

"Tommy, I think it might be best if you tell us all the story from the beginning." Wes said, glancing over at me. I nodded, leaning forward in my seat. I started off by telling them about Jason coming to my house, telling me about Kim's disappearance. Billy played the security footage he had fixed as I went through that section of the story. I covered the findings of the dead whales on the same beach where Kim had seen something weird before her disappearance. Finally, I told them about George the guard being killed by Goldar and the video Rita had sent me. Billy played this as well, Kim's message cutting right through me as I turned away from the screen. When I did, I caught Gia's eye. She didn't say anything, but she hesitated to turn away.

"So, I guess we have to find some way to get back to 1994 to find Kimberly before Rita hurts her." I said, putting my hands on the table top. The new members of our group glanced back and forth from each other, not saying anything. I sighed, leaning back in my chair. "Any suggestions?"

"Do you guys even have a way to go back in time?" Rocky asked, speaking for the first time since we had arrived. He had a look of awe on his face, one that he shared with Zack.

"We have limited access to that kind of power." Andros replied, crossing his arms over his chest. "The current rangers would need to assist us so that we would be able to access the morphing grid, but it could be done."

"Great!" Aisha exclaimed, smiling at me in a supportive way. "We can go there, kick Rita's ass and bring Kim home in time for dinner." I felt hope swell in my chest. Was it really going to be that simple? Were we going to be able to save Kim in just a matter of hours?

"Unfortunately, it's not that easy." Andros frowned, standing. His eyes flashed to me for a moment and I felt the small amount of hope start to die.

"Well, why not? You just said you had the power to do it." Zach said, looking confused. "We can teleport to the current team's Command Center and go from there."

"Going back in time could mean changing the current events of our time. Time travel is against the laws of time and space. We've taken an oath to protect the planet, including from ourselves." Wes said, folding his hands in front of him. "We would be break intergalactic laws by using the morphing grid for going back in time to save Kimberly."

"That's horse shit!" Jason yelled, slamming his fist on the table. Gia, who was sitting next to him flinched, scooting her chair slightly away from him. "It's not just a person! It's Kimberly, a former ranger! The first pink ranger at that! You can't just leave here there to die when you have the power to save her."

"We could be putting our universe in danger if we went back in time to save here. Just by changing one thing in the past could make drastic results here in the present. It's not something we can just do without proof it needs to be done." Andros explained. Jason shook his head, swearing under his breath.

"Andros, this is Rita. Even if she just plans on killing Kimberly, she isn't going to stop until she has what she wants. For some reason, she has her eyes set on Tommy again. If my calculations are right, she will just attempt to contact Tommy at a different point in his timeline if he doesn't surrender tonight as she instructed." Billy said, his voice coming from the speakers around the room.

"Exactly!" Jason said. "Rita is time jumping. Why can't we use the power to go back and stop her? She isn't going to stop until she has her hands on him one way or another."

"Jason's right." I said, standing as well. I locked eyes with Andros and then Wes. "I know this is against the laws of the Higher Council, rules made by Zordon's own elders, but Rita is going to stop at nothing until she has exactly what she wants. If you send me back in time, I can stop her before she can put her plan into action."

"You are much too involved to go, Tommy." Andros said, trying to reason with me. "You are the person who Rita wishes to have. You cannot go into the past to face her. It's too risky for the sake of humanity."

"Then, I'll go." Jason said. "Let me go back and I will stop Rita."

"Jason, you no longer have a connection to the morphing grid and we do not have access to any type of power coin to create a link for you." Wes stated. "Only a ranger with powers would be able to travel through time. We will need to enlist one of the current rangers if we choose to do this."

"If?" I asked. "Please. I am begging you. We need to save Kimberly before it is too late. I don't care what laws get broken or what needs to happen for it to get done. I will even sacrifice myself to the council for punishment if it comes down to it." I pleaded. "Kimberly is in danger because of me." My voice cracked as I felt raw emotions in the back of my throat. "She doesn't serve what's happening to her. Please save her."

"The council should vote." TJ spoke, reminding me he was sitting next to me. Andros' eyes travelled from mine over to Ashley who stood in a doorway on the right.

"I think that would be appropriate." He said, looking back at our group. "By a show of hands, which members of the council agree with sending a ranger into the past?" My eyes travelled around the group, seeing that no one was raising their hands except for Billy and me. Even Gia sat still, her eyes reading Andros' face. "I'm sorry, Tommy, but the council has spoken. We will need to find another way to save Kimberly." I shook my head, putting my hands on the table.

"You're making a mistake!" Jason yelled, shoving away from the table. Aisha stood as well, tears welling in her eyes.

"What other ideas do you have?" She asked. "We've tried thinking and have come up with nothing. What do your mighty minds think should happen? That is my best friend with her life on the line and you just decided it wasn't worth shit to you all." Rocky stood, wrapping an arm around his wife's shoulders.

"We will find a way to help you the best we can. I am sorry, but we cannot risk the lives of a billion people for one person, no matter her affiliation with the Power Rangers." Wes stood, walking towards me. "Tommy, I am truly sorry, and I wish we could help. If we turned on the laws set by the council, we would be turning against everything we formed this group for. I still want to help you, anyway I can though."

"Don't bother." I said coolly, glaring at him and then Andros. "We'll find a way to save her ourselves."


	18. Chapter 17

**A/N:** Evening, everyone! Hope all is well. Here is another chapter for you. There may be some mature themes in this chapter...there might not be...guess you have to read to find out! As always, please remember to R&R!

Huge shout out to SpecialK92, Ashley Hammond Astro Yellow, netcy25, and of course, HighffelFlower! Thanks for your continued support!

* * *

 _ **Kimberly – The Past**_

The sound of Christmas music played over the speakers throughout the airport in Orlando, travelers walking around me as they went in and out of the seats that lined the left wing of the terminal. Sighing, I glanced at my watch, checking the time. The plane was set to land about ten minutes ago, the snow in the Midwest not affecting the travel path as I had feared it would. Instead, the sky was blue outside of the wall length windows. I watched as planes took off and landed from the tarmac. People were probably getting ready to hand off for the holiday weekend, excited about seeing their families. In my belly, butterflies were flying around like elephants with wings. Sweat was forming in my palms and now and then, I would wipe them on my jeans. I didn't know why I was nervous, but I was. This was worse than the first time I performed at the Pan Globals.

"Hey, beautiful." A warm voice said behind me. Standing from the blue plastic chair I was sitting in, I saw the tall slender frame of Dr. Tommy Oliver standing a few feet away. A smirk was on his lips and he had his bag over his shoulder, his brown leather coat covering his torso. Tan colored khakis covered his legs and I saw a black t-shirt under his coat. He set his bag down on the floor by his feet, holding his arms open for me. I jumped up from my chair, running towards him. Leaping off the ground, I threw myself into his arms and wrapped mine around his neck. He squeezed me tightly against him, laughing at my excitement. "I take it you missed me."

"You could say that." I said, pulling away just enough to press my lips against his. I placed my hands on either side of his face, loving the feel of him against me. Gently, he set me down on the floor and tucked a piece of hair behind my ear.

"I've missed you, too. I nearly knocked over three old ladies running off the plane. You look absolutely beautiful."

"I think you're bias." I replied, grinning up at him. He shrugged, shooting me a wink. Bending down, he picked up his bag and tossed it over his shoulder as he took my hand in his. Kissing the back of it, he started walking towards the exit.

"So, what is on the agenda?" He asked, walking with me pasted the Christmas decorations that lined the corridor of the airport. He held the front door open for me as we exited, other people coming in and out from the line of glass doors. Reaching into my purse, I fished for my car keys.

"Not much really. I just know I want to spend as much time as possible with you while I have you here all to myself." I replied, smirking at him. I found my keys as we crossed the street in front of the building, heading for the large parking lot. My little silver car sat in the spot I left, it's lights flashing as I pressed the unlock button on the fobs. "Was there anything you wanted to do?" I asked.

"Oh, I'm sure I can think of something to fill our time." He said, winking at me. I felt my cheeks flush as we stopped next to my car door. Gently, he cupped my face in his hands and kissed me sweetly. "God, I've missed you." He whispered.

"We talk every day, silly." I replied, placing my hands over his.

"It's not the same as really being with you. I wouldn't trade a moment of this for anything."

"Me either. C'mon." I gave him a quick peck, him releasing so we could climb into the car. He tossed his bag in the back seat before climbing into the passenger seat. I climbed in as well, turning the car on. It was the first car I had ever owned. After joining the Olympic team, I was given a sponsorship by a car dealer here in Orlando. They gave me a new car as well as a contract as long as I appear in their commercials. It wasn't the greatest gig, but it was something I was highly taking advantage of. Carefully, I pulled out of the parking space and towards the exit. Tommy fiddled with the radio, finding a station that was playing nothing but Christmas music. Leaving it there, he took my right hand in his.

"How have things been here?" He asked once we were clear of the traffic outside of the airport. I shrugged.

"Pretty much the same. We've been practicing for the games non-stop. I almost can't wait for them to be over next month. My nerves are beginning to set in though. I'm nervous."

"I'm not going to tell you not to be, but I think you're going to do awesome. You've worked so hard at it. Schmidt picked you for a reason and you are going to crush it. I promise." I smiled, glancing at him from the corner of my eye.

"I hope so. Sorry I couldn't get you a ticket to go. With the games in the states, there are so many people trying to get in."

"Don't worry about it. I'll be starting my next semester around then. I'm going to be glued to my television though. Well, when I can be. I'll make sure to record what I can't watch in person. I don't want to miss a thing. I already told Kat we were going to have to have a party for the opening ceremony." And just like that, the tension I had been nervous about iced over us in the car. Kat. His wife. I was wondering how long it would take for her name to come up in conversation. I gripped the steering wheel in my left hand tightly, taking a left turn towards the hotel.

"How is Kat?" I asked, biting my lip. Tommy squirmed uneasily in his seat.

"She's fine. Still in school. Her plane landed in Australia about four hours ago. She left me a message while I was on the plane. I'll call her later though." He said, turning his face so he was looking out the window. Silence fell over us as I drove.

It had been two years since Tommy and I confronted each other about our feelings. It's also been two years since this "thing" between us began. I suppose most people would call it an affair. That's usually what cheating on your spouse with someone else is called. It wasn't planned. After the first time it happened, I knew Tommy felt guilty. I felt it as well. We had done something that was horrible. I told Tommy we could pretend it never happened and never speak again. He agreed. However, before I boarded my plane back to Florida, he came to the airport and asked if he could come see me there in a few weeks. I told him I didn't mind. About six weeks later, he came to Florida. We spent the two days together, being nothing but friends. But, it happened again. It was at that point that an almost unspoken agreement happened between the both of us. Over the course of the last two years, we've both taken turns flying back and forth to see each other. Sometimes, like this past July, we meet in the middle and spend the week. We stayed in Texas that time, him telling Kat he had a conference for school to attend. These times I get to spend with Tommy are my favorite. I find myself looking forward to them each time. We also talk on the phone every day. It's easier with Kat in school and Tommy having his own cell phone now. It was like being in a relationship, but we weren't. Him and Kat got married in October. I even attended the wedding. Him and I spent the night together before he walked down the aisle. It wasn't easy to watch the man I loved get married to someone else, but I didn't have much choice in the matter.

I wished with all my heart that he would just leave Kat and be with me entirely. I've thought about telling him how I feel and that I no longer want to share him with her but every time I get close to doing it, I chicken out. My biggest fear is telling him and having him decide he didn't want to be with me. I would lose him all over again and not even have him the way I do now. I know he hates doing this to Katherine. He's never been that type of person. It's the main reason we never talk about Katherine or what's going on between us. We've never even really defined what's going on between us. It's been mostly unspoken. Especially when we are together. It was rare that we speak of Kat or anyone for that matter. We've been keeping it from everyone, not even Trini and Jason know. Having our own secret between us makes it a bit more thrilling I suppose.

"Hey." He said, breaking the silence. I glanced over at him as I pulled into the parking lot of the hotel I booked for the weekend. The dorms didn't allow overnight visitors, especially of the opposite sex. Besides, I didn't like the idea of the security cameras having solid proof of him coming and going from our building. Holding my hand up to his lips, he kissed the back of it. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to bring her up. We don't have to talk about her again."

"It's okay." I replied, forcing a smile. "Let's just forget about it."

"Good. I've been waiting so long to see you. This Christmas will be amazing as long as I'm with you."

Our room was located on the fourth floor of the hotel, a little suite with a king size bed and a jacuzzi tub for two. The whole room was decorated in reds and whites, fitting with the upcoming holiday. Tomorrow was Christmas eve, the hours counting down to Christmas growing smaller. It was a day I had been counting on since the last time I had seen Tommy. We had spent the week in Houston, acting like newlyweds on their honeymoon. I had enjoyed myself so much that I booked this hotel the moment I got back to my dorm. He agreed to make the trip and we've been counting the days since July.

"This is nice." He said, setting his bag and my duffle bag on top of the dresser on the right side of the room. I didn't pack much, just enough clothes for the weekend. Unlike him, I didn't have to travel far. I nodded, tossing my purse in the chair next to the window.

"It is. How was your flight? I forgot to ask."

"Long. I spent the whole flight waiting to do something." He replied, stepping towards me.

"Oh? What's that?" I asked, smirking up at him. He wrapped his arms around my waist, pulling me against him.

"I think it's easier to show you than explain it." He winked at me before playfully tossing me back on top of the bed. I giggled, landing on my back. He pulled his coat off, tossing it into the corner of the room. Kneeling on the bed, he propped himself up on his arms while he pressed his lips against me. I placed my hands on his cheeks, loving the way he tasted. His smell of after shave and cologne wafted over me and I wished I could bury myself in it for the rest of my life. Pulling away slightly, he smiled down at me, stroking the top of my head. "Have I ever told you how beautiful you are?" He whispered.

"Not in the last ten minutes." I said, smiling.

"Well, I'm slacking then. You're the most beautiful woman in the world." He kissed my cheek, trailing from there down to my neck. I ran my hands through his hair, the ponytail wrapping around my fingers. His hands travelled down my body, wrapping around my petite curves. He unzipped my pink hoodie as he went, making sure to pull it off. It joined his jacket, the article of clothing flying through the air. Using his teeth, he pulled up the bottom of the white camisole I was wearing until my breast was exposed. He used his tongue to lap each of my nipples, the buds coming to a point from the mixture of cold air and excitement. A hiss slid between my teeth as he teased my right one with his teeth. He grazed the skin, causing my back to arch as he did. Reaching between us, I pulled on his t-shirt until I was able to pull it over his head. He slid my cami off entirely, the skin of our chests touching. I could feel the heat radiating off of him as he kissed me deeply. Undoing the button of my jeans, he managed to get my pants and underwear off. His came next, leaving both of us exposed. Positioning himself, he slid himself into me, a feeling I never tire of.

Tommy and I moved together, our bodies becoming one with each thrust. Moans came from the back of his throat that vibrated through me and to my core. He gripped my hands in his, pinning them to the bed so I couldn't move them. It drove me crazy and excited me to a point that nearly drove me off the edge. His teeth nipped at the skin on my neck, sweat forming on my skin. His grip on my hands tightened and I could feel his tempo pick up. Inside me, I knew the waves of pleasure were going to becoming sooner rather than later. They were beginning to blind the corners of my eyes with a whiteness. Cries started coming from my own mouth that I didn't recognize. Each one seemed to make Tommy move faster, my name coming from his lips as they fluttered across my skin.

"Fuck. Kim." He whispered, his tongue on my ear lobe. It was enough to push me right over, my orgasm hitting me like a pleasure-seeking freight train. I cried out his name, my eyes screwing shut. He followed, curse words stringing from him mouth as he pulled me close. I could feel his heart thundering in his chest as it pressed against mine. After a few minutes, he rolled from on top of me to his side, cradling me against him still. Kissing the top of my head, he traced small circles on the skin of my back. "That was better than I could have imagined." He whispered. I smirked, closing my eyes.

"I aim to please." I replied. "Besides, I think that was six months of pent up energy."

"That's true. I wish I could see you more."

"Me too."

"Well…it might be able to happen." Opening my eyes, I rolled over to face him. What did he mean? Was he leaving Katherine? Was this it? Was this what I was hoping for?

"What do you mean?"

"I was accepted to join Anton Mercer's intern program. It's nothing too special but it's stationed on a small island in the Gulf of Mexico. I'll only be a boat ride and a taxi away from you." I gasped, smiling.

"Really? That's amazing! When does it start?"

"May. I finish up my semester and then leave for the summer."

"That's fantastic! I can't wait for you to be so close." He smiled, kissing my forehead.

"Me either." A pang of disappointment hit me as I realized how hopeful I had been for him to be leaving Kat. Maybe when he's down here for school, he will see that this was where he belonged. That I was the one he needed to be with. Until then, I was going to spend every moment I could with him.


	19. Chapter 18

**A/N: Hey everyone! Here's another chapter. I hope this one does a better job of showing some reasons why Tommy is doing what Tommy does. Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoy!**

 **Please remember to R &R!**

* * *

 _ **Tommy – The Past**_

Taking a deep breath, a ran a hand through my hair. It was so much shorter now. I wondered if she would like it this way. I kinda hated it but I had no choice in the matter. It was a smart move, no serious scientist had long hair. Even though it had been well over eight months, I kept waking up and getting shocked when I look in the bathroom mirror. It's something I guess I'll get over it, but it still made me feel weird. I smoothed down the front, the gel holding it into place. Around me, people chatted about things in different languages I had no hope of trying to understand. Every now and then, I thought I heard something in English, but it was only a snip here and there. It had been like this since I landed in Athens this morning. Thankfully, the cab driver that had given me a ride here had spoken English pretty well and was able to provide me directions for when he let me out of the car. It was the only way I had managed to find myself here in the athletic center of the 2004 Olympic games.

I was standing in the middle of what I assumed was a recreational room. People were sitting in groups on dark green lounge furniture, multicolored carpet running from wall to wall. There were televisions lined up on the walls, various events that had already occurred or were currently going on playing on the screens. Some people were watching them closely while others played board games on the small tables. I could smell food coming from the back part of the building, telling me there had to be a kitchen or cafeteria here somewhere. Everyone in the room was wearing some kind of article of clothing with their country's name on it. I searched for a flash of the good ol' red, white and blue but came up empty. Had I come to the wrong building?

Sighing, I leaned against the wall near the front door. Maybe it had been a mistake to come here. I had used up all of my vacation time and all of my secret savings almost just for the plane ticket. Kim had provided me with the ticket to get into the event as well as the VIP pass. I still wasn't sure if Katherine had bought the story of me going to Europe for some kind of conference. I don't think I would have bought it, but she agreed, telling me she was looking for a reason to head back to Australia for a few days. She was pretty excited about it before we separated at the airport.

This was not how I pictured my life going. I'm not really sure what that was, really. I guess it would depend on what time you asked me. If you had asked me when I was sixteen, then I was living half the life I always imagined. I was the teacher I had always wanted to be, I was here at the Olympics seeing Kimberly compete for her chance at gold, and we were about to spend every moment we could together for the next two weeks. What more could I ask for? But, if you had asked me the same question at 19, my answer would have been completely different. I would have said being a teacher but married to Katherine, maybe starting a family. Well, I guess that was half right too.

A pang of guilt filled my chest as I thought about my actions of the last few years. I never could have even slightly thought of myself being able to do this to someone. Cheating on Kat in the beginning made me want to vomit. I had betrayed the trust of someone who had done nothing but believe in me since day one. After Kim and I had slept together, I knew I needed to break things off and never let it happen again. I couldn't bring myself to do it though. Kim was back in my life, in a way I had dreamt about since the last time I had seen her. I had known full well what going to see her in Florida would bring, causing me to not fight the feelings I have for her. Now, six years later, we were still clinging to an affair we've been hiding from everyone.

Lying to Kat was one thing but our friends was another. I knew Kim hated it. I could tell from the look on her face whenever there was an event that we were attending, and all our friends were there. We had to keep our contact discreet, doing our best to not let others know what was really going on between us. Once, Jason came close to discovering our dirty little secret. Katherine was away at school and Kim had flown back to California to surprise me for my birthday a week early. We were in the middle of 'catching up' when Jason came strolling in my house. Kim had to hide in the closet for almost an hour until I managed to get rid of him. That was when we agreed to stay at a hotel during our times together. It made it easier to hide and easier to forget the real lives we were hiding from. I felt awful for lying but being with Kim anyway I could be meant more to me than that.

When it comes to my actions, I know I'm a horrible person. Only horrible people cheat on the people they vow to spend their lives with. I agreed to marry Kat, her being six weeks pregnant with my child. Her parents had been very strict on the idea of her having children before being married. We were only twenty, both of us in school and fresh off the rangers. My uncle had promised me a job racing, but things went south for his racing company shortly after that. Her parents were supporting us, something that made me feel about two inches tall. The only good thing I had going in my life was the little vacations I had with Kimberly. We had gone on two at this point, spending the weekend together in Orlando and once in San Diego. When Kat told me she was pregnant, I didn't know how to react. Our sex life had always been sparse. We weren't the most active, her preferring to keep our relationship simpler until we were ready for marriage. Apparently, one of our few times had been just enough to conceive a baby. Katherine also wasn't sure how to react; we were young, broke, and unable to support ourselves with her parents helping. That's when she told me we would need to get married or else her parents would not approve of her pregnancy.

It's not that I didn't want to marry Kat. Any guy would love to. She's pretty, kind, and has a good head on her shoulders. And carrying my child. But, my mind was 3,000 miles away on the southeast coast, gliding over a balance beam. I knew I had to tell Kimberly that whatever was going on between us had to be over. It hurt like a motherfucker to think like that, but I didn't have any other option. I could be married, having a baby and building a life when I was giving my heart to someone else. But when I went to see Kim, I couldn't bring myself to tell her I didn't want to keep seeing her. Because I didn't. So, I told her about the wedding but left the information about a baby to myself. Kim came to our wedding, spending the night before it with me. (Clearly, we can tell I am not a good person in the slightest here.) She sat in the third row on my side and clapped as Kat and I said our vows. And surprisingly, she still wanted to meet up as usual.

A month after our wedding, Katherine confessed to me she had been wrong about the pregnancy. She stated she had taken a test at home and it had been positive. She hadn't bother to go to the doctor, something she had lied to me about, to have it confirmed. She only went to see an OBGYN after her school told her she would be unable to dance with them unless she could provide proof it was safe for the fetus. I was pissed. I had married someone I wasn't sure I was in love with because she had lied to me. Granted, she didn't lie to me on purpose. I know she really thought she was pregnant, and I should have had her go to the doctors to get more tests done. But, I was now married to someone while I was still sneaking off to see my ex-girlfriend every couple of months. The person I would rather be with but couldn't bring myself to admit to. Kim hasn't admitted to me that she would like to get back together. Part of me believes she likes the distraction our times together brings. I know I do. It makes me feel young again, pretending that time hasn't changed anything between us. Almost like that stupid letter never happened. It was something I dreamed would come true.

"Tommy!" Kimberly's chipper voice called from across the room. Looking up from my thoughts, I saw the petite brunette running towards me, a red, white and blue wind breaker on her torso. I took three long strides towards her, letting her jump into my arms in a tight hug. I squeezed her into my, loving the smell of vanilla that wafted from her as normal. Pulling slightly away, she smiled down at me. "Hi, handsome. Aren't you a sight for sore eyes?"

"I could say the same thing to you." I kissed her on the lips, letting all of the emotions from the last few weeks soak into it. This. This was everything I wanted but couldn't let myself have because of a stupid promise I made based on a lie. I set her on the floor, releasing her against my wishes.

"I just got done with my practice. I have a couple hours before I have to head to my qualifiers. Do you want me to show you to you around?"

"Actually, I was hoping we could talk in private first. Would that be okay?" I asked. She nodded, looking around. She pointed at a door on the right side of the room.

"We can go over there. It's one of the smaller dining rooms but it should be empty right now." Taking my hand, she led me towards the beige wooden door. It opened with a push, allowing us to enter. It swung shut behind me and I found that we were standing in a smaller room, the walls covered in colorful wallpaper. The floor was covered I the same carpet as the main room, a long table running the length of it. Chairs with red fabric seats were pushed into it. Kim locked the door before turning to look at me. "I don't think I will ever get used to the hair."

"Yeah?" I smirked, running my hand over it. "I miss it too. But, I guess I'm lucky considering. If I still had it back on the island, I'm sure it would have gone up in flames from the explosion."

"Speaking of that, how are you doing since then? I know you don't like to talk about it and your friend Anton, but I know it can't be easy giving up something you dreamed of." Frowning, I leaned against the table.

"Well, it seems I've found something else to fill my time." She looked at me, confused. "Do you remember the dino gems I told you about?"

"Yeah. Weren't they the whole reason why you were on the island anyway?" I nodded.

"Something like that. I still think they were the only reason I made it out of there alive. I've been trying to find them, searching all over the half of the country for them. I was able to pinpoint just where they were. That's why we moved to Reefside. My study showed they were there somewhere and that I just needed to find them."

"Well? Did you?"

"You could say that." I let out a sigh. "Three of my students did. And something happened when they did."

"Oh, I don't like the sound of that." Kim muttered, sitting on the table next to me.

"The gems gave them powers. Sort of like the Power Coins for us. I hadn't been expecting that. I knew they were powerful somehow, but I never would have guessed like that. It was a good thing too. There seems to be this evil thing attacking Reefside all the time now. Mesagog. You thought Zedd was ugly? You should meet this asshole. But I had to work with Billy to have the kids be able to use the power to fight him. He helped me make them some armor and some assault vehicles to help them when they do."

"Tommy, are you trying to tell me you made yourself some Power Rangers?" She asked, leaning forward to look up at me.

"When you put it that way, it's not as cool sounding." I replied, smirking. She laughed, shaking her head.

"That's amazing. I can't believe you were able to do that! Those kids are lucky you were the one following the stones. You are the best man for the job. I'm sure Zordon would agree that you should be the one leading them." I felt my cheeks flush as she spoke.

"Thanks. They are great kids. There's three of them. Kira, she's the yellow one. God, she reminds me of you so much. Spunky, a singer, and doesn't let the boys get away with anything. Then there's Connor. He's the red ranger. He's not the brightest but he's a good leader. The blue ranger is Ethan and he could be Billy's apprentice. The two start talking and I feel like I need a dictionary to understand them." She smiled at me as I spoke.

"They sound great." She said. "It sounds like you really like being a part of their team. Even if it's just as a mentor." Frowning, I looked down at my feet again. "What's wrong, Tommy?" This was the part I was dreading. I had to tell her the truth. I knew Kat wasn't too keen on the idea, but I couldn't help but fear that Kim would feel the same way.

"I'm not just a mentor." I said softly. Reaching over, I pulled my sleeve up. It revealed my silver wristlet, the black dino gem incased in the middle of it. Her eyes gazed down to look at it for a moment before looking up at me again.

"You're a ranger again?" I nodded, waiting for the lecture I had gotten from Kat to begin again. "That's great, Tommy." Kim said, throwing me. I raised my eyebrows, gaping at her. "What? You've always loved being a ranger! It's something that's a part of you, more than anyone I've ever met. I think Reefside is lucky to have you protecting them. I think Angel Grove would agree with me as well."

"You're not mad?" I asked.

"Mad?" She questioned, shaking her head. "Why would I be mad? Hell, if you find a pink gem, let me know! I would love to jump back in the saddle."

"Kat was furious with me." I muttered before I could stop myself. I don't like to talk about Kat in front of Kim. I know it makes her upset and I didn't blame her. I would be upset as well.

"I'm sure she's just worried. I am too but I know there's no stopping the great Tommy Oliver when he sets his mind on something. You're one of the greatest rangers of all time, Tommy. That's something to be proud of. I'm so proud of you."

"Really?" I whispered. She smiled, nodding.

"Yes. I've always been proud of you. You're a great man. I'm lucky to have you in my life." Reaching up, I put my finger under her chin and tilted her face towards mine. Leaning in, I pressed my lips against hers lightly.

"No. I'm the lucky one."


	20. Chapter 19

**Kimberly**

"She can't really be her, can she?"

"She looks just like her, just like thirty years older."

"Jason, she's only like thirty herself."

"Ok. Fine. But she's still older."

"Is this some kind of trick by Rita?"

"Maybe we should lock her up until we know."

"Guys, it's Kimberly. Even if it's not our Kim, she's still Kim. And she did manage to save our Kim and Tommy."

"Jesus, this is going to get confusing. Should we assign them numbers or letters or something? Call our Kim Little Kim or something?"

"I don't think that's the important thing right now, Zach."

"Just wait til the both wake up and we don't know what to call them."

The pain that was radiating around my head was nothing compared to listening to whoever was talking around me. Slowly, I felt myself get pulled from unconsciousness and back into the world of the living. My eyelids felt like the weighed a ton each as I dragged them open. Surprisingly, I found I was surrounded by the faces of my friends. Billy, Jason, Trini and Zach were all standing around me, looking down at me. But, they weren't exactly my friends. Well, unless Avon finally came up with the cure to age. These versions of them were the ones I remembered from being a kid. They were the teenagers I had spent my childhood with, Billy with his oversized glasses, Jason with his typical red tank top and diamond stud, Trini's long black hair braided over her shoulder and Zach's hair was standing about three inches on the top of his head. The nineties had certainly been the time for fashion.

"Uhh…" I said, glancing to and from each of their faces. "Hello."

"She's awake." Zach said, looking over at Trini and Billy who were on my left.

"We can see that." Trini replied. She smiled at me. "How are you feeling?"

"A bit crowded." I answered, gesturing to them standing over me.

"Oh. Right. Sorry." She said, taking a step back. The boys followed, allowing me to sit up. When I did, I saw that I was laying on a bed in the medical chamber. There were computers on the walls around us, the submerging tub on the left side of the room and more beds on the right. I saw the younger version of myself in the bed next to me and Tommy on her other side. Winching, I rolled off the bed and walked towards her.

"Are they alright?" I asked, looking over my shoulder at the kids. Billy nodded.

"Affirmative. Kimberly was dehydrated but will make a full recovery. We were able to reverse the effect of the spell Rita was trying to place on Tommy. He needs rest, but he will be fine as well." I breathed a sigh of relief, grateful I had been able to save them after all. I guess there was a lot to be said about being a ranger without any powers. When I was Kimberly's age, I never would have believed I was capable of what I had just done. I patted her upper arm, happy to know she was going to be okay after all.

"Who exactly are you?" Jason asked as I turned to face them completely. He had his serious face on, his arms crossed over his chest. It almost made me laugh. He had always been the leader type, Mr. I-Take-Charge-Of-Every-Situation. It was a characteristic that was still true to this day.

"Maybe this is a conversation best served with Zordon in attendance." Billy said, adjusting his glasses. I nodded. Seeing Zordon might be my only shot of getting back home to my time. I glanced at Tommy and Kimberly again. "They'll be alright. Come on." I followed the kids out of the medical chamber and up the long hallway that led to the Command Center mission control room. It was like walking into a dream of the past, the control room lit up with the tubes around the room. In the middle of the room, there were the main computers with all of the buttons and controls that I still to this day had no clue how they worked. They were all built around an empty space, leaving enough room for all of us to stand on the blue tiled floor. The brightest light in the room came from the energy tube. It stood tall, running from floor to ceiling and inside of it, I saw a face I hadn't seen in over twenty years. I felt tears line my eyes as I gazed up at Zordon. For a moment, I wondered if he had any clue at all that he would be dead in about five years or so. It made my chest feel heavy to think about.

"Kimberly, it's good to see the woman you have grown to." He said, his voice booming around us as I remembered. I blinked back my tears, nodding.

"It's good to see you too, Zordon. It's been so long in my time." He smiled at me.

"I'm aware." With that, I knew he knew his outcome. Billy had stated before that Zordon's people had the ability to see their timeline if they wished to do so. I couldn't imagine being able to look into the future and see my entire life and what happened in it. It was bad enough that Kimberly was seeing me right now. What kind of effect was that going to have on the present? Would things be the same or different? I guess returning was the only way I would be able to find that out.

"So, she really is Kim?" Zach asked, looking up at Zordon.

"Yes, Rangers. This is indeed Kimberly from the year 2018. Rita has brought her back to our time in hopes of tricking Tommy into joining her reign again." Zordon stated.

"Figures." Jason muttered. "What happened on the moon? Tommy and Kim weren't in any shape to tell us exactly."

"Honestly, I don't know much. She had Kim and I locked in cells away from everything. I do know that this isn't your Rita, though. I believe this is the Rita before she was locked in the space dumpster." I replied. "She looks younger and kept saying that she read about my past. Her and Goldar both seem to be more ruthless than the Rita you guys usually face."

"Is that even possible?" Trini asked, biting her thumb nail.

"It is, Trini. The Rita I had locked in the capsule was much more powerful than the Rita in our present time. Her powers were diminished during her imprisonment. Kimberly, does Rita has Hermes in her possession?" Zordon asked. I nodded.

"Yes. She mentioned that he was Finster's son." I answered.

"Finster? Isn't that the little white furry guy that makes her monsters? How would she have his son if she is from the past?" Zach raised an eyebrow looking confused. I had asked myself the same question. It didn't make sense to me.

"Finster is from Claydoious, a planet where the offspring give birth to their parents. Their planet is in a constant state of reverse time. Hermes has the ability to time travel, a gift only given to high members of their society. Rita has possible taken him as her servant in order to protect his planet from her control. With him, she is able to travel through time with ease."

"Morphenominal." Billy whispered next to me, causing a smile to crack on my lips. I couldn't even tell you the last time I had heard him say that. It was something I didn't realize I had missed so much.

"What happened during your escape?" Trini asked, breaking me from my moment of nostalgia.

"Well, I stabbed Goldar a few times. I don't believe he is dead though. If he was, we wouldn't have any memory of him. He'd be erased from your time line. He was doing something to Kimberly though. It looked like he was burning her skin. I'm not sure. I stopped him and managed to save her. Rita was in the middle of putting Tommy under a spell. I cracked her orb and she freaked out. I think it has something to do with her powers. I used Goldar's sword to get us back to Earth and then Tommy's communicator to teleport us here." I said, suddenly feeling drained. Putting it into words made it sound much more tiresome than I remembered.

"Rangers!" An old familiar voice called out, Alpha walking into the control room. The small red and chrome robot clanked towards us, waving his hands.

"What is it, Alpha?" Trini asked.

"Tommy and Kimberly are coming to." He replied. He shifted towards me. "Err…the other Kimberly."

"See! I told you this would get confusing." Zach exclaimed, holding up his hands. We moved as a group back to the medical chamber where we found Tommy and Kimberly stirring in their beds.

"What the hell happened?" Tommy asked, holding his head as he sat on the edge of his bed. He looked exhausted, bags under his eyes and it reminded me of the Tommy from our time. He always looked tired, especially during his time on the Dino Thunder team. It takes its toll on a person, even more so when you aren't a teenager anymore. Kimberly was also sitting up in her bed, the IV still hooked into her arm.

"Rita tried to capture you again, bro." Jason replied, clapping Tommy on the back. "Good thing for you that Kim came along."

"Kim? But I was there to save her." Tommy said, looking confused.

"Wrong Kim." I added, stepping forward. He shifted to look at me and a look of realization crossed his features.

"Right! I forgot about you. You saved us?" He questioned, looking amazed I had been able to do so. I nodded.

"Sure did. Are you okay?"

"I think so. Kim?" She nodded as well. Her face was a bit pale, but she seemed like she would live for the most part.

"This is so weird." Zach stated, gazing between Kimberly and me. The group nodded in agreeance.

"Tell me about it." Kim said, dragging herself to her feet. Billy moved forward, helping her pull the IV from her arm. "You saved us though. I guess it was a good thing Rita decided she needed the both of us after all."

"Why would Rita want to take the both of you to try and get to me?" Tommy asked. He stood as well, holding his temple.

"I'm not sure. Did she make you record something for Tommy?" I asked Kimberly. She shook her head.

"No. She told me that she knew he would be on his way there to save me. The last thing I really remember was being chained to that platform. That's it."

"When I found you, she was saying some weird incantation over you." Tommy added. "That's when she blindsided me with whatever the hell she was doing."

"She was doing a spell?" Billy questioned. Tommy nodded.

"I'm not sure what it was but I think I interrupted it."

"What the hell would she be doing that she would need to place a spell on Kimberly?" Trini asked, putting her hands on her hips.

"It's uncertain but I believe more tests would be a rather good idea." Billy gestured to the table. Kim rolled her eyes but hopped back up there. He pulled over a computer and began to hook some wires up to her.

"I guess the next thing we need to do is try to get you back to your time." Jason stated, turning to me. "The longer you are here, the more likely it is that our timelines are getting messed up."

"Trust me. I am all for going back to my time. I don't think Zordon has that type of power though."

"I'm sure Billy could rig something. That's what he does best." Zach said, proudly patting Billy on the back. Billy nodded as he worked.

"I can attempt to build something to get the job done." He said over his shoulder. "It'll take some time, however."

"Well, that seems to be something I have plenty of."

A few hours later, I found myself sitting in the hangar on the back part of the Command Center. It was a large portion of the mountain that the center was settled into. It needed to be big enough to house the Zords, the powerful vehicles used to help fight against Rita and her monsters she loved to make ten stories high at the drop of a hat. Thinking back, she had always been predictable to the point of boredom. She would be losing, and she would just make her monsters grow, thinking it would be her shot of winning. It never was though, us always coming out on top. As I sat perched on the cat walk above the mastodon and the t-rex Zords, I felt an ache in my chest that normally came when I thought about my time here. Even with all of my accomplishments as an athlete, this was the only time and place I had ever felt like I was making a difference in the world. What did that say about me now?

"Hey." A voice said behind me. I had to look, unable to recognize my own voice as I saw Kimberly standing there. She had showered and changed, wearing a floral print dress and a pair of jeans. She smiled, walking towards me. Sitting next to me, she draped her legs over the edge like I was doing and leaned against the bar. "What are you doing out here?"

"This used to be my favorite place to come and think when I was your age." I replied, staring out into the night sky that I could see from the open hangar door. There seemed to be a million stars and in the middle of all of them, the moon shined down.

"It's hard to remember that we're the same person." My younger version said.

"I know." I replied, sighing.

"I know you don't want to tell me much about your life. I understand that. But, when I look at you, I get this feeling that you are sad for reasons other than what's going on right now." Biting my lip, I nodded.

"It's funny, ya know? When you're a kid, you think that being an adult is going to be the greatest. You're going chase your dreams, not let anything get you down and conquer the world one day at a time. But then the time comes to be an adult and you realize just how little control you have in the world. You must see time slipping by and you realize that these goals who have set for yourself just don't seem to come true. The people you once had in your life just don't seem to follow you like you had imagined. Then, you wake up one morning and realize just how alone you are in the world. Sure, you have friends and family, but the one person you wish could be there with you every moment of the day isn't there. Because you weren't able to show him just how much you cared."

"I don't know the whole story, but I do know Tommy. It doesn't matter if it's my Tommy or the Tommy in your time. I know he loves me. I can see it in the way he smiles as soon as I walk into the room. It's the type of love that doesn't just fade away, regardless of time. It's something that will always be between us. It's never too late to get something back. For all you know, Tommy received that message that Rita sent him and is trying to save you right now. I don't think you should be so quick to count him out yet." I sighed, shaking my head.

"He hates me. I don't blame him either. I took what was a good thing between us and tried to stretch it too much. It ended up pushing him further away to the point where he won't even speak to me. Even if he got that message, I don't think he would even bat an eye at it. I wouldn't blame him for it either." I glanced over at Kimberly. "How did your tests go?"

"Alright. Billy didn't find anything out of the ordinary. I think Tommy stopped whatever Rita was trying to do before she could finish it."

"It's a good thing he came along when he did." I replied. "He's a good kid. He always was. I'd give anything to have that time back with him."

"Like I said, it's not too late. At least promise me you will try to find him once we get you home again."

"It wouldn't matter." I whispered.

"Anything is possible if you believe in yourself and fight hard enough for it." She said, putting a hand on my shoulder.

"Pretty sure I've heard that one before." I replied, letting out a chuckle.

"I would hope so. Don't give up. You don't know what the rest of your timeline looks like. Things could change."

"That would be great." Kim drew her feet back in, standing. "Hey, remember to stay this smart. I wouldn't mind having a few more brain cells."

"I'll try. How about you try being a bit more optimistic? I wouldn't mind that either."

"Pretty sure you're supposed to be nice to your elders." I replied, standing as well. She laughed, shaking her head.

"I'll try to remember that. It's not like you're ninety."

"Yeah? Try telling your friends that. Zach keeps talking like I'm about to turn to dust." I rolled my eyes. "For the record, he never changes. He's exactly the same in my time as he is now. Jason too."

"Oh, so he still acts like he needs to be in control of everything?" She asked. I nodded.

"Exactly."

"Go figure. That doesn't shock me a bit. Trini is making some dinner if you're hungry." She said, pointing over her shoulder. "I know you kept giving me your meals on the moon. I bet you're hungry." I felt a pang of hunger in my stomach. It had been a while since I ate.

"Sure am. Thanks."

"No problem. I'm not sure what it is but I know it smells great." She started towards the door but stopped, turning slightly to look at me. "And for what it's worth, whatever direction my life takes, it seems to be okay. I mean, you're still the type of person I would love to end up like. You shouldn't be so hard on yourself. It's not fair. Trust me. There are worse things in the world that could happen. At least I'm alive and healthy. That's all I can really ask for."

"I have some advice for you too. Don't sell yourself short. You are so much smarter than you give yourself credit for. Yeah, Trini and Billy are near geniuses, but you are brilliant in your own way. You have the ability to do whatever you want. You are going to face some of the hardest things in your life in the upcoming couple of years. And you're going to come out on top. Just don't forget that either." She nodded.

"I'll try." She shot me a wink before turning towards the door again. She took two steps before stumbling slightly. She managed to catch herself on the doorway, steadying herself.

"Are you okay?" I asked, looking to see if she had tripped over anything.

"Y-yeah." She stammered. "Just a little light headed. That's all." She gave me a small smile, but I saw all the color begin to drain from her face. Suddenly, a faint pink glow came from her skin, covering her head to toe. Her hand flew to her chest and I could hear her breathing shallow as she tried to catch her breath.

"Kimberly!" I exclaimed, rushing forward as she fell to her knees. I caught her before she fell face first into the concrete. "Somebody help!"


	21. Chapter 20

A/N: I AM SO SORRY! I know it has been a while since I posted. You can blame it on school. I'm going for my Master's program right now and it was a full week and a half of final papers. -_- But I am officially on a three week break until my next class! I plan on using that time to FINISH this fic! I hope you all will continue to stick with me through that. This isn't the longest chapter but I wanted to put something up to let you know I haven't vanished off somewhere.

In other news - has anyone read the graphic novel yet? I am waiting until after Christmas to get my copy. Just wanted to know if it was good or not. I am hoping that it's worth the read! Also, did anyone see where JDF's daughter might be the next red ranger? A total family affair! That would be pretty cool. I am sure they will rope him into it as well somehow haha.

As always, remember to R&R and I do not own anything to do with Power Rangers.

* * *

 **Tommy**

"Well, that was just fucking perfect." I called over my shoulder, walking along the path that led to our hotel room. Aisha, Zach and Rocky stopped at their room while Jason and I headed towards ours. Fishing the key card from my coat pocket, I shoved the door open and saw a surprised Trini sitting on the edge of Jason's bed. The Asian woman stood, looking between the two of us.

"Where the hell have you guys been?" She asked as Jason walked over and gave her a peck on the lips. She fixed the top of her husband's hair, flatting the stray pieces that were sticking up.

"Seeing the Power Rangers Council." He replied, sitting on the bed where she had just been perched.

"What is that?" She questioned.

"A bunch of useless assholes, apparently." I muttered, sitting in the chair. The computer rang, telling us that Billy was phoning in. Jason reached over and pressed a button on the keyboard and Billy appeared on the screen.

"Hello, Trini. It's good to see you." He said, smiling at Trini.

"You too, Billy. What exactly is going on? Do we have any leads on Kimberly?" She glanced from the computer to me to Jason who sighed.

"It was a past version of Rita who took Kimberly. We aren't entirely sure what she has planned but she sent a message to Tommy, telling him if he doesn't surrender in 24 hours, she would kill Kim." He explained. "So, we went to the Power Ranger Council to get help and they denied us. They said it was too risky for us to travel back in time to rescue just one person."

"What? She isn't just one person! She's one of us." Trini exclaimed.

"I know. That's what we tried to tell them, but they still refused. We're on our own here." He said. Trini sat next to him, both of them eyeing me as our door opened and the rest of our group filed in. Aisha gave Trini a hug and Zach bent to give her a kiss on the check. They sat on the other bed, no one speaking as they looked at each other. Finally, I dropped my hands to my lap and shook my head.

"This is my fight. I'm going to surrender myself and get Rita to send Kim back to Earth. Once I do, I'll figure out a way to stop her." I stated.

"The fuck you are." Jason snapped. "That's a fucking suicide mission. We are going to figure something else out without having to sacrifice yourself to her."

"Like what?" I asked. "We only have ten hours left until she expects me, and we are still at zero. The council won't help us. They made that perfectly clear. This is the only way we know for sure that I can get her back here. Believe me, if anyone else has any other ideas, please speak up."

"There's gotta be another way." Aisha said, folding her arms in front of her. "We've been through a lot worse than this. Do we know anyone that can morph still?"

"Those teams are guarded under the council." Billy spoke up, his voice coming from the speakers. "Chances are great they would not wish to disobey their orders."

"Of course, they wouldn't. That's what we taught them." I replied, standing. I paced a few feet, rubbing the back of my head. As I walked towards the direction of the bathroom, I saw the flash of red, blue and yellow lights behind me. Turning, I saw Gia, TJ, and Wes now standing in the room, directly behind the door leading out of the room. I shot them a glare, stopping my pacing. "What?" I snapped.

"Tommy, you left too quickly before we had a chance to speak." Wes said, stepping towards me.

"I'm sorta on a time schedule, you know. I don't have the luxury of having assistance like I thought you would give me." I put my hands on my hips. "What do you want? We have a mission to complete."

"That's why we're here." TJ said. "We've come to help." I scoffed.

"No, thanks. I've seen your version of help." Gia shot me a glare before rolling her eyes.

"I swear you are so stubborn sometimes, Tommy." Reaching behind her, she pulled a black velvet bag from her belt line. "We came to bring you something." Holding it out to me, she raised an eyebrow. I took it in my hand, feeling that it was heavier than I had expected. Opening the bag, I reached inside and pulled out a morpher. Turning it over in my hand, I saw it was gold plated with a circle of red outlining a green background. I felt the back of it shift in my hand, the sound of the Power Coins cycling through as it synced with me.

"The Master Morpher." I stated, glancing up at the three of them. Wes looked uneasy as he nodded.

"Yes. We've brought it from its place at the council to assist you with your mission." He said.

"Does Andros know you took this?" I questioned.

"Not exactly. We may have borrowed it without asking it." TJ said.

"So, you stole it." Zach chipped in, smirking at the blue Space Ranger.

"We prefer taking it without asking." Wes replied, fidgeting his hands. It must kill him to break the rules. He hated going against the council and Andros. It was pretty much his life now, him not being an active Ranger anymore. "It was Ashley's idea."

"What is a master morpher?" Aisha asked, eyeing the object in my hand with curiosity.

"I can answer that!" Billy called from the computer. "The Master Morpher is something that Tommy and I developed after his time on the Dino Thunder team. We've taken all of Tommy's past power morphifications and used them to sync into the morphing grid. With this morpher, he has the ability to morph into any of his previous held powers."

"What?! Why the hell don't I have one of these?" Jason asked, looking down right offended by the fact he didn't have a similar morpher. I smirked.

"Well, it's something that Billy and I were testing when we were interrupted when we got called back into action. Honestly, it was sheer luck it was working in time. Without it, who know what the fuck would have happened that day." I ran a thumb over the morpher. "After the mission though, we agreed as a council that it was too powerful to be left unguarded. That's why it's been kept under lock and key."

"So…I am getting one of these, right Billy?" Jason asked, bending down so he could see eye to eye with Billy.

"No." Wes said, crossing his arms over his chest. "It puts too much strain on the morphing grid. That's why Tommy is only able to morph for a short time while using it. It's not safe for Tommy nor anyone else using the grid. It could short everything out and put the rest of the planet at risk."

"We'll talk later." Jason winked at Billy who shook his head.

"Now that Tommy has this morpher, he will be able to zap to the past and rescue Kim then?" Trini asked.

"Not exactly. Because of how it's connected the grid, it will require a bit more power to allow him to time travel. TJ, Wes and I can help super charge the morpher, but we still have no clue exactly what time frame Rita is hiding in. We will need to find a way to figure that out." Collectively, the group turned and glanced at Billy on the scene.

"Oh! Right. I could see what I can do about that. From my readings before and Trini's data she collected, she is not currently in 2018. I will analyze what I have here and see if I can come up with some results of where—or when she is."

"Anything I can do to help, Billy?" Trini questioned.

"Affirmative. Can you continue to run scans of the moon? Perhaps, she will leave some kind of imprint on the surface that will provide me with a window of her location."

"I'll get right on it." She replied. She brought up a new web page on the computer and a flurry of typing began as she worked.

"Rocky and I are still trying to get ahold of Adam." Aisha said. "Last we heard from him, he was stuck on a layover. He might be able to lend a hand with whatever left over powers he has from helping the other rangers against Rita and Zedd's kid."

"We won't have time for that. Rita is expecting Tommy by tonight." Zach added, looking worried.

"We will just have to work with what we have now." I stated. I gripped the morpher in my hand and glanced around the room. "We're going to save Kim."

About an hour later, it was looking more like a NASA control center in our room rather than a hotel room. Trini and Billy were working together on the computer, Gia and TJ offering all the help they could in the process. Rocky, Jason and Wes were calling other Rangers that they knew in the area that might be able to lend a hand. The plan was to have any ranger we could come here to provide a small army against Rita in case she changes course and heads to Earth for an attack. Aisha and Zach followed up with Andrea, making sure there had been no other incidents at the dorms. They had evacuated them for the time being, waiting until someone was charged for the guard's murderer. They were also starting to question if his death that something to do with Kim's disappearance. It provided us with the advantage of keeping the police busy while that investigated.

It was weird to see all of these inactive rangers working together again. Rocky and Aisha had never gotten the chance to work with our team before though Rocky did work with Jason on Zeo for a short time. He had always viewed Jason as a hero then, but it had changed into an equal friendship over the years. Trini and Aisha had also formed a bond and it made me wonder how much time they had spent with Kim since the last I had seen her. Frowning, my chest hurt at the memory of our last conversation. I shook my head, trying to shove it aside. I didn't have time or the option to let myself go to that dark place at the moment. If I was going to save Kim, I needed to keep my head in the game.

"Trini!" Gia exclaimed, catching my attention. Looking up, I saw that Trini was now slumped over the keyboard. She was out cold, her face slightly paled. Jason rushed forward to her, but his face also paled, and he collapsed on the floor next to the bed. Wes quickly was able to catch him before he smacked his head off the floor too hard. On the computer screen, I saw that Billy was now face down on his own desk, his eyes closed. Suddenly, my vision began to blur as I tried to step towards my fallen friends. I gripped the wall next to me, trying my best to stay conscious. My eye lids felt heavy and my body was fighting me to stay away. I stumbled forward, and the world went black.

 _"Rangers, I know this looks bleak, but this is the only plan that will work. Kimberly will need to travel to the moon in order to save herself." A booming voice said above me. I felt myself tilt my head to look up and I saw a faded image of Zordon in front of me. He glowed a blue light around him and he was gazing down at me. I shifted, my head turning to look to my left. I was surprised to see a younger Jason standing there, his eyes focused on Zordon._

 _"But, Zordon, can't one of us go with her?" He asked, his voice echoing slightly. There was a movement in front of me and my eyes moved to find the source. Standing in front of me and the rest of my team mates was Kimberly. Our Kimberly. The Kimberly from our time frame._

 _"I will go with her." My voice said, it sounding foreign to me almost. She smiled sweetly at me, placing a hand on my shoulder._

 _"That's sweet but you can't. It'll be too risky having you there, Tommy. She wants your powers and it would just be handing you right to her."_

 _"It'll be too dangerous to go alone." My voice said, something I was agreeing with. I tried to speak but no words came out. I couldn't control my body either, the only movements it making were ones it felt programed to do._

 _"I've faced a lot worse. Trust me. You'll see. But this is something I will need to do alone to make sure you all get to have futures." Her eyes caught mine and I fought my body to reach out and stop her. To make her realize she didn't need to go alone. There was nothing I could do though._

 _"Here." Trini's voice said, holding something out to Kimberly. "You'll need this."_

 _"Thank you." She took the object I couldn't see in her hand and held it close to her. "Don't worry. I'll be fine." She smiled at me again, giving me a wink. "You'll be seeing me again, I hope."_


	22. Chapter 21

A/N: Hi everyone! Sorry for the delay. Here is the next chapter. Hope you enjoy! I will be posting a lot more over the next week since I'm on vacation from work AND school. YAY! Thank you for the reviews and remember to R&R!

I own nothing to do with Power Rangers.

* * *

 **Kimberly**

Exhaustion was setting into me as I sat in the medical bay, propped up against the wall on a small metal stool I found in the corner. I watched as Billy stood over Kimberly, hooking wires and machines to her. They had all come running when she collapsed, and she was rushed here. That was over two hours ago, and Billy had not said a word yet as to what was going on with her. Tommy had fallen asleep on the bed next to her, him unable to outlast the tiredness he was still feeling after his run in with Rita. It was the first I had seen him look at peace from the moment I saw him back on the moon. Kim on the other hand, her face would grimace with pain every now and then.

Sighing, Billy leaned against the bed she was laying on and shook his head. "Her powers are draining." He said softly, looking over his shoulder at me. "Something is weakening her powers."

"Her powers?" I asked, standing up. I walked towards him, stopping on the other side of the bed. He nodded. I thought back to when my powers were going through the issue that led me to hand over my powers – and my boyfriend – to Katherine.

"Affirmative. I am unsure of how to reverse this as well." He said, checking her pulse.

"I have seen this before." I replied, frowning. "Zordon will know how to fix this."

"I hope." He didn't move from his spot, his eyes lingering on her face. "Zordon is dead in the future, correct?"

"What?" The question caught me off guard, Billy's eyes shifting to glance at me.

"I've thought about it before. Zordon possess a great deal of pure energy. It would purify anything it touched if you were to break his connection to Earth. I also saw the way you looked at him when you saw him in the command center." Biting my lip, I nodded.

"I'm afraid so." I whispered. "There's a large force coming to Earth and he sacrifices himself to save the planet."

"He really does love this planet." He said softly. I gave him a small smile, nodding.

"And you guys. You're very important to him."

"No. We are useful to him. There's a difference." He replied in a bitter tone. Shaking his head, he crossed his arms over his chest. "We're just kids. We shouldn't have to deal with this type of danger. Don't find me insensitive. I just have a hard time believing that we were the only people on this planet who were meant for this occupation."

"You guys really are, Billy." I said, walking around the table so I was standing in front of him. "You will go down in history as the most brilliant mind to ever wear spandex. You go on to do such great things in your life and for the Rangers. The same for Jason. Trini goes off to work for some type of engineering that I still have not the slightest idea about. Zach becomes one of the most famous people to leave Angel Grove. And Tommy…Tommy goes on to make his own team of Rangers when the world needs him. You all do so much for the planet and each other. You are so important, and it was your destiny to become the Power Rangers."

"What about Kimberly?" He asked. "What do you become?"

"One of her biggest dreams come true but only because she has the support of friends like you." I replied. A sudden ache filled my chest as I thought of the Billy in my time. It had been a while since we spoke. If I ever made it back, I would reach out to him. To all of them. I was stupid for letting my issues with Tommy come between our friendships. My anger and self-hatred for the whole ordeal caused this, not Tommy. Shame hit me like a bus, but I bit it down. "I promise that you are all happy with your lives."

"That is some good news then." He said. "We should go to Zordon and tell him about Kimberly. She's stable for now. I'm using access power from the morphing grid to hold her powers steady. I'm unsure how long this will work however."

"Everything will work out." I replied, patting him on the back. He turned to walk out of the medical bay, but I stopped by the bed Tommy was laying in. Reaching out, I put a hand on his arm. He jumped, gasping in shock at my touch. "Hey. It's just me." I said in a soft and reassuring tone. He swore under his breath, swinging his legs over the side of the table so he could sit up. "Sorry. I didn't mean to scare you."

"I was just having a nightmare." He whispered, his hair draping over his face. "Kim didn't wake up and…"

"She's going to be fine." I said, putting a hand on his shoulder. "C'mon. Billy is talking to Zordon and the rest of the guys about what he's found out. You should be there." He slid of the table and gave her a longing look. "Billy has her stable. She will be okay for fifteen minutes."

"Okay." Together, the two of us walked from the medical chamber towards the control room. Here, we found Billy, Jason, Trini and Zach standing with Alpha by the control panel. Zordon was in his tube like normal, his gaze meeting mine as Tommy and I entered the room.

"Billy, Kimberly and Tommy have made it here. What have you discovered about our Kimberly?" He asked, his voice echoing around us. Maybe I was getting old, but it felt so much louder now than it did when I was a kid.

"Kimberly's powers are being drained from her. It's my speculation that the spell Rita was performing at her was linking Rita to Kimberly's powers. Somehow, she is tapping into her powers and draining them." Billy said, addressing his friends and me. "We will need to find a way to disconnect Kimberly from her power coin or else the spell will drain her powers entirely and she will not be able to return as a ranger."

"Can she just give up her Power Coin?" Zach asked, looking confused. "What would that mean?"

"She can temporarily give her coin to someone else. It would stop the spell and cut off the power supply to Rita." I added.

"It's worth a shot." Jason said, glancing over at Billy who nodded. "But who should take the coin?"

"I believe it would be best for Kimberly to take the power coin for the time being, Rangers." Zordon stated. I looked up, surprised. "Kimberly is experienced with the powers transfer and with the powers that come with the pink power coin. She will be best suited for the job."

"But I thought…" I trailed off, not wanting to finish the sentence that hung on my lips. When I had given up my powers, I knew that I would never be able to be a ranger again. It was too risky with everything Rita had done and had made Kat do to make sure I would never be a ranger again.

"You are in a different time line." Zordon replied. "Things that have happened in your past haven't happened here. Those restrictions will not apply." He gazed down at me with a knowing look, silently telling me the thoughts I had in my mind. "Once Kimberly is stable enough to wake up, we will begin the transfer."

"No need." A small voice said from behind our group. Turning, I saw the younger version of myself standing in the doorway, propping herself up with the door frame.

"Kim!" Tommy exclaimed, rushing forward to support her. He wrapped his arm around her waist and practically carried the weak teenager towards us. Jason pulled a chair from around the control panel and Tommy helped her sit down.

"I'm fine." She said. Even her voice sounded weak. I gave her credit. I had always known I was stubborn but seeing it with my own eyes gave me a whole new appreciation for the will power I once possessed. "What's a power transfer?" She asked. Trini knelt down and set her hand on Kim's knee.

"Zordon and the rest of the team think it will be best for you to give up your power coin." She said softly.

"Give up my power coin?" Kim questioned, pulling back slightly. Tommy kept a hand on her shoulder, stabilizing her in the chair. "You mean give up my powers? I won't be a ranger anymore!"

"It's just a temporary situation." Billy commented. "It'll only be long enough for the connection between the spell and your powers. Once it's gone, you'll be able to take it back."

"Are you sure?" Uncertainty was in her eyes and I could recognize the fear on her face. It was the same kind of fear when I had to do the same thing.

"Yes. Once the danger is gone, you will be able to return." Zordon said in a voice that I guessed was supposed to be reassuring. It was hard to tell by the booming volume. "You are an important part of this team and we need to protect you. This is something that must be done."

"And you'll be taking my coin?" She turned her eyes to me.

"I guess so." I replied, giving her a small smile.

"Alright. Well, it'll be just like me having them still." Sighing, she reached behind her back and pulled her morpher from her belt line. It flashed pink for a moment and she gazed down at it, a sorrowful look on her face. Taking her thumb and pointer finger, she popped the pterodactyl coin from its slot. With Tommy's help, she pulled herself to her feet and stepped towards me. "Here." She held the coin out in her hand. Raising my hand, I met hers. She released the coin and I felt the cool metal in my palm. A spark of pink electricity ran up my arm as I closed my fingers over it.

A surge of energy coursed throughout my body as I accepted the coin. It brought me back to that first day, when I had been in disbelief of becoming a Power Ranger. The best way to describe it was a warm feeling, like the first morning sun hitting your face after a long cold night. Like crawling into a hot bath that gives you the energy to jump over a building in a single bound. If Superman could bottle up any of his energy, this is what it would be like. My entire body glowed pink and my chest felt full for the first time in over a year. All of the bad feelings I had been running from seemed to melt away and I felt a genuine smile cross my lips as I glanced down at the power coin in my hand.

"Kimberly, by accepting the Power of the Pterodactyl, you agree to protect the Earth and use the powers for good." Zordon said, giving the familiar speech I had heard him give before.

"I remember." I said, almost chuckling. I heard a sniffled and saw that Kim was holding back tears as she looked at me. "Hey." I said, softly, stepping towards her. "You'll be back in no time. Trust me. Nothing can keep a good ranger down. You'll be back to kicking ass by dinner tomorrow."

"I hope so. I'm already starting to feel better. It's working." She gave me a supportive smile and sighed. "I guess I can help Alpha out around here until then."

"I think you need to focus on getting your strength back." Tommy said, resting his hand on the small of her back. "You need rest."

"I'm fine. Really. The sooner we figure out how to stop Rita, the better."

"Kim's right." Zach said, nodding. "It's time to take care of this once and for all."

"But how do we do that?" Trini asked. "We've been up against her and won, sure. But this Rita is a lot more powerful."

"You are correct, Trini. We will need to come up with a plan to seal her powers." Zordon said, causing us all to look up at him. "Rita is not going to stop until she has what she wants."

"As always." I muttered. From the corner of my eyes, I saw a flash of pink. Looking over my shoulder, I saw the Kim was flashing pink, like she was getting ready to teleport. Which would be impossible since she no longer had the power to do so.

"Uh…guys?" She said, looking at her hands in confusion. The rest of the kids turned to see what was happening. "Is this supposed to happen?"

"I don't think so." Billy said, stepping towards her. I felt a tremor go through my body and a shiver ran down my spine. Staring down at my feet, I blinked several times to ensure I was seeing things correctly. It was like I was flickering, much like a bad reception on a television. Holding up my hands, I saw they were doing the same thing. Each time she glowed pink, I would become fuzzy or flicker out of sight.

"Well…that could be a problem."


	23. Chapter 22

A/N: Happy Saturday, everyone! Hope you are enjoying your holiday weekend. I know I am. I just received my copy of Soul of the Dragon in the mail today and can't wait to read it! But, I wanted to post a chapter of this first. I will let everyone know how it is once I finish it!

As always, thank you for reading and the reviews. Remember to R&R and I own nothing Power Rangers. If I did though, Tommy and Kim would be together. Sorry, not sorry.

* * *

 **Tommy**

 _"I'm worried about you going alone." My voice said as I sat back in my own head, like I was in the front row of a movie theater. Standing in front of me, I saw Kimberly give me another smile in a motherly type way._

 _"I know. I'll be fine though. You can count on me." She tuned back to look up at Zordon. "I know I'll always have the power to protect me."_

 _"That is correct, Kimberly." The mentor stated. "Billy, please charge the transmitters so that we will be able to teleport Kimberly to the moon."_

 _"Yes, Zordon." My head shifted to look at Billy who walked over to two blue rods I recognized from our missions to the different dimensions. Was she time jumping? What was going on? She was going to the moon? Alone? "I'll need some assistance in neutralizing this."_

 _"I can help." Trini said, stepping forward to help him. Jason followed as well, picking up the other rod to help him._

 _"I'm going to check in on Kim." Zach said before leaving the room._

 _"Hey." Kimberly's voice said, and I could feel her hand on my shoulder. My head shifted again, and I saw she was standing closer to me now. "Can I talk to you for a second before I go?"_

 _"Sure." She pointed for the doorway and started walking. I followed behind her, leaving the Command Center. Everything seemed to be fuzzy for a moment, the image of her flickering in front of my eyes as we entered the hallway. "Are you alright?"_

 _"I'm fine. It doesn't hurt that bad when it happens. I just wanted to talk to you quick. I'm going to say something to you that you aren't really going to understand quite yet. Just try to keep it in mind, alright?"_

 _"Okay." I nodded. She sighed, looking down at her hands._

 _"What happened between us wasn't your fault. You are an amazing guy and sometimes, things just happen because that's the way they are supposed to happen. I wish I could tell you what is going to happen, but I can't. It wouldn't be fair to you or Kimberly. Just don't ever give up on her, okay? Even if she tells you that she doesn't want to be with you, just know that it's not the truth. Please. Don't give up on us—you." I could see tears form in her eyes and I wished with everything in me that I could reach out and hold her. I couldn't though. Nothing in my body worked the way it was supposed to._

 _"I would never let her go. I love her." I heard myself whisper. Kim let out a little soft chuckle and nodded, glancing up at him._

 _"I know. Sometimes, it's easy to forget that though. Especially when you're young and think you have the whole word at your feet. And if for some reason things don't work out, don't let your feelings for her stop your life. You are meant for greatness. You can't let the past cloud what happens in the future. Even if you think it's the right thing to do. If it's real love, it wouldn't end with someone getting hurt." She sniffled, wiping a tear from her cheek. "Don't kiss her in the middle of the ring the summer you graduate high school. Don't make her believe that you love her more than anyone else in the world. Don't let her go on living a lie because she's too scared to let you go."_

 _"But…" I trailed off._

 _"Don't break her heart."_

* * *

I woke with a loud gasp, my heart pounding in my chest. Like before, there was sweating pouring down me and the urge to vomit rolled over me. I felt a hard surface under me and felt an ache in the back of my skull. Rolling over, I realized I was on the floor of the hotel room. Reaching out, I grabbed a garbage bin and pulled it over just in time for me to empty the contents of my stomach into it. I heaved, closing my eyes and letting it wash over me. When it passed, I pushed it away and collapsed onto the carpet again.

"Tommy? Are you alright?" Gia's voice asked, and I realized that she was standing over me. Glancing up with heavy eyes, I nodded. I felt like I had just run a marathon after eating bad sushi. The nausea was still there but it wasn't hitting me like a Mack truck anymore. Just a small moving van it seemed. I turned my attention to the rest of the room. Trini was laying on the bed, Jason next to her. Both held looks of confusion as they spoke to TJ and Wes. On the floor near the bed, I saw Aisha and Rocky tending to Zach who was bleeding from a cut on his forehead.

"What happened?" I rasped out, tugging myself up to my feet. I stumbled a bit and Gia helped me sit in the chair by the other bed.

"You were all fine and then the next minute, you were all face down." TJ said, handing Trini a wet rag. She blotted her forehead, Jason checking her for any type of injuries. I saw movement on the monitor and saw Billy groggily hanging his head, a red mark on his forehead and between his eyes where his head must have laid on the table.

"We all fainted at the same time?" Zach questioned, holding a bandage to his forehead. Rocky helped him to the air conditioner vent, propping him up on it. Gia nodded.

"Yeah. At the same exact time. Is this one of Rita's tricks? Did something happen to where she might have casted a spell on all of you?"

"That's impossible." Aisha said. "No one has been in contact with her and Trini just got here. There is no way she would have been able to curse all of them. Besides, Rocky and I were fine. It would have affected all of us."

"And Billy fainted too." Trini said, wincing as she shifted to sit on the edge of the bed.

"Affirmative." He mumbled, rubbing his face. "It would seem that some kind of phenomenon just occurred."

"It's weird. I had the strangest dream when I was out. We were all at the Command Center." Jason said. "Kim was there but she was the only one not a kid." My ears perked up at this, but Zach beat me too it.

"No shit. I had the same dream! Zordon was talking to us about some kind of mission Kim had to do."

"Me too." Billy stated. "We were conversing about ways to stop Rita and Kimberly was involved."

"Maybe it's something that Rita is projecting to you." Rocky said. "She's done this before. It wouldn't be something she's not capable of."

"No." Trini said, standing. "They are memories."

"Memories?" Jason asked. "It's not something I remember. I think I would recall 40-year-old Kim in our Command Center when we were 16."

"She's going to kill you for calling her 40. And no, you wouldn't. I think its memories that our brains are forming now. It would explain why we all had them at the same time. It's what's occurring in Kimberly's current time but in our past."

"Which would mean she's with us at the Command Center in the past." Zach said, giving a hopeful smile. "She's safe! That's great."

"Now we just need to figure out a way to get her back to our timeline." Trini turned to look at me and I nodded. Had they not seen the complete memory I had? Probably not. It was between her and my past self. Kim was not safe. She was planning on heading to the moon and fighting against Rita. Fighting against Rita with no help and no powers.

"I've been having dreams like this for a while now." I said. "They started about two weeks ago. I figured they were just dreams. It used to happen when I was a kid, so I never thought much about it. I had one about Rita trying to take over my powers and then another one involving some green light and chanting." Rubbing the back of my head, I winced when my hand came in contact with the bump on the lower right-hand side. I must have smacked it off something on my way down.

"Kimberly's presence in the past is beginning to alter our current reality." Billy said. He typed something into the computer and scurried his eyes over the screen. "Rita's presence is still not on the moon. She must be in the past somewhere."

"Now we have a year though. It was when Tommy had the baby ponytail. So, 1994?" Jason asked. I nodded. "How do we get to that year then?"

"We can use the transmission poles like we did in our memory." Trini said. "It's what we used when we were younger. If it worked then, it will work now."

"They were destroyed with the Command Center, though." Aisha said. "There wasn't a lot that survived it's destruction."

"Billy, can we make new ones?" Jason asked. Billy nodded.

"Affirmative. It'll take some time though. I can create the core here and send the finished pieces to you via file transfer. You'll need two antennas that can with stand the frequency of 10,000 volts." He typed into the computer again. "According to my calculations, you can find those at the nearby radio station. You will need two to be successful."

"I'll go." Wes said, stepping forward. "I still have some kind of authority with my rank."

"I'm coming too." Trini volunteered. "I know exactly what we are looking for. I helped Billy fix those things so much, I could probably do it in my sleep."

"I'll drive." Jason scooped his keys up from the end table. The three of them headed out the door, Aisha ushering Zach into the bathroom to clean his cut on his forehead. Rocky's phone rang amongst the chaos and he excused himself outside.

"Tommy." Billy said, getting my attention. Things were still a bit fuzzy, but I walked over and sat in front of the computer.

"What's up, Billy?" I asked. Billy frowned, looking behind me. Turning, I saw that Gia and TJ were near the bathroom, assisting Aisha in caring for Zach.

"Kimberly's timeline has been altered." Billy said in a hushed voice. "I searched through our files we have for her."

"You have a file for her? Why?"

"We have a file on all the Rangers." He replied. "It was something the council asked us to do to keep records. It's something I've been working on since the council's early days."

"Okay. What's changed in her timeline?"

"I'll share my screen with you." He clicked a few buttons on the screen and suddenly, I was looking at numerous newspaper articles. The one on the top had a bold headline, ANGEL GROVE TEEN MISSING. Leaning in, I read under the headline. It was a story about a missing teenager. I realized it was Kimberly as it scrolled, a picture of 15-year-old Kim smiling brightly from the screen.

"So, she's considered missing. It would make sense with both of them there." I said. Billy kept scrolling.

"That's what I thought at first but…" He trailed off as he came to another article. There was another picture of Kim, but the headline was different then; MISSING ANGEL GROVE TEEN FOUND DEAD. It felt like someone had sucker punched me in the throat as I read it. I skimmed through the article where it stated her body was found on the beach in Angel Grove, her cause of death unknown. I shook my head and Billy appeared again on my screen.

"No." I said.

"Whatever is happening in the past is going to cause her to not be alive in our present time. Kimberly is going to die unless we figure something out."

"No, she's not. Not if I have anything to say about it." I stood up from the desk and I heard Billy call my name out behind me. Walking towards the door, I grabbed my coat and tossed it on.

"Where are you going?" Gia asked.

"To get some fresh air. I'm still feeling sick from before. I'll be right back." I lied. She gave me a hesitant glance but didn't say anything as I opened the door. I walked out, closing the door behind me. Reaching around to my back, I made sure the master morpher was in its place on my belt loop. Pulling it from there, I pressed the button on the side of it. I was enveloped into a blast of green light, teleporting from the hotel.

My feet went from solid cement to squishy wet sand as I landed on the beach in Orlando. It was the same beach that all of the dead animals had been found on. It was the only location in Florida that I could think of that would be secluded enough for me to do this. Looking around, I saw there was still yellow caution tape connected to wooden stakes, the flaps of it whipping in the ocean breeze. It was gray out, the sky taking a shade of grayish white and a slight drizzle hung in the air, clinging to everything in the area. I walked the beach, heading towards the closest area I could hide which was under the pier. It was an older one, the boards seeming to be slightly rotted from its time in the water and wind. Barnacles ran up the posts that supported it, sand rusting on to it as well. Water lapped at the shore, the low tide being in its favor. My boots sunk into the sand on the beach as I made my way under it.

This was going to be my only opportunity to do this. It wouldn't only be a matter of time before TJ and Gia realize I am gone. The rest of the team will instantly know what I am planning. It was now or never. I couldn't risk leaving Kim's future in the air on the hope of something that might work in time. The conversation she had with the younger version of me played through my mind. I broke her heart. She said it so clearly but yet still so filled with emotions that my eyes stung. I couldn't blame that on the sea salt spray either. I had always known that what had happened between us had hurt. It was the worst pain I had ever felt before. I just didn't realize just how badly I had damaged her though. In all of my foolishness, I allowed myself to believe I was the only one hurting. I wasn't though and now, it was all my fault that Kim's life filled with all of her accomplishments might be wiped off the face of the earth.

"Alright, Rita!" I called out, my voice echoing around me. I stepped forward, water splashing over my boots. "I'm here. Now. Take me if you want. I'm not running anymore. Let's end this, once and for all." I stood there waiting, hoping for some kind of reaction. There was none. Anger built in my chest and I balled my hands into fists. "Come on! If you want me so bad, come and get me!"

"As you wish, Tommy." A voice said behind me. Turning on my heel, I saw Rita standing there. Like I had seen in the surveillance video, this Rita was different. She wore clothes I didn't recognize; a tight-fitting maroon colored dress and a black robe that clasped around her neck. Her staff was in her left hand and a smile tugged at the corner of her lips. Her hair was in a long black braid that hung from the hood of the cloak. I jumped into a fighting stance, ready to fight. "Oh, how cute."

"What did you do to Kimberly?" I asked, glaring at her.

"Your little girlfriend? It's adorable how love works here on Earth. Even decades later, the two of you still can't seem to move on, can ya? It has all the makings of a tragic love story. Two star crossed lovers…kept apart by fate…one of them meeting their hand at the end of the tale."

"Cut the shit, Rita. Let's finish this. Once and for all."

"If that's what you want but I think we should be doing this on my turf, don't you?" She raised her staff and brought it back down into the sand. The world seemed to dissolve into blackness around us for a moment. A new image materialized, and I recognized it as the throne room of the Moon Palace. The very place I used to serve under her when I first became the green ranger. "Welcome home, Tommy."


	24. Chapter 23

A/N: Hello everyone! Hope you had a good Christmas! As a present, here are TWO new chapters. These will be the last two of the past chapters, everything else happening in either present Kim or Tommy's time. Thank you all for the reviews and I hope you enjoy!

On a side note, I finished Soul of the Dragon. I liked it but I felt like it tried to hard to convince you that Tommy was this old guy who couldn't hold his own in a fight without the master morpher. And I did not like the whole him and Kat being together thing, even though I knew it was going to happen. Wish I could just write one canon version of it where the end up together. It would allow me to die a happy fan.

ANYWAY...

I own nothing Power Rangers.

Please remember to R&R!

* * *

 _ **Kimberly – The Past**_

"Hey, Kim!" Andrea called, drawing my attention away from my locker. I turned over my shoulder to look at her. She was standing in the doorway of the locker room, her hair pulled back and sweat on her brow. We had just finished our work out; a three-mile run along the beach and then weight training here in the gym. Andrea had done well but had also complained through a good majority of it. She was a good sport though. I had to admit that when she came on the team, I didn't think I would like her. Now, I felt like we were attached to the hip more than anything.

"What's up?" I asked.

"Schmidt wants to see you in his office quick. I'll meet you back at the dorm, okay?" I nodded, closing my locker.

"Alright. See you in a bit." She waved, disappearing out the door. I sighed, frowning to myself. I already knew what this was going to be about. I had been waiting for it since we returned from Vancouver. Even though I had won gold, my body had felt the effects of the competition that it hadn't before. My knees were aching more, and it hurt to move in the mornings most days. All the years of training and doing routines was finally paying its toll. It was time for me to face the fact I was too old to compete. I had successfully done my time as an Olympic athlete. Now, I had to move on from this and focus on something else to do with my life. The thought of that made my stomach ache slight but also think of Tommy. He had been there the moment I won, hugging me as they announced my scores. It had been my crowning moment and I wouldn't want anyone else there at that time. Was it time for us to finally speak about what was going on between us and figure out what kind of future was there?

Zipping up my jacket, I walked out of the locker room and up the sort hallway towards where the head coaches' offices were. Schmidt's door was open, and I could see him sitting behind the desk as I approached. Reaching out my hand, I knocked on the open door. He looked up from the newspaper on his desk and smiled when he realized it was me. "Kimberly! Come in. Sit. Please." His German accent seemed to get thinner and thinner every day, I thought as I walked into his office. It was huge for an office space, enough room for her desk, a couch, four chairs and an entire filing system behind him. He held up the newspaper from the desk and I saw it was a picture of our team, boarding the plane back here to Florida. "You girls always seem to show the best that America has to offer."

"We aim to please." I said, leaning back in the chair. "You wanted to see me?"

"I think we both know why." He replied. Setting the paper down, he also sat back in his chair. "There comes a time in everyone's life when they realize it's time to move on to bigger and better things. You've done so well for not only the United States but also yourself. You are the dream child of gymnastics, Kimberly. If I could find a way to clone you for year after year, I would. Unfortunately, I also know how much it can take its toll on the body too. I've spoken to the team physician and he agrees with me." He gave me a supportive smile. "I think it's time for you to retire from competing."

"I think so too." I replied, returning the smile. "I love being on the team, but I don't think I have another round in me. Being here and being a part of all this has been one of the greatest moments of my life. I hate to see it end but I don't think it would be fair to everyone if I tried without being at my best."

"I appreciate your drive and your loyalty. That is why I want to offer you the position of head coach." Coach Schmidt said. I blinked at him for a moment, unsure if I had heard him correctly. "I think you would train our girls well and lead them to victory in the next games."

"You want me to be head coach?" I asked, looking at him in confusion. He nodded.

"Yes. I think you will do wonderfully." He replied. "You'll be given the top floor apartment at the dorms, you'll have your own office, and you will run our program."

"Oh my god." I whispered. "That would be amazing. I don't know what to say."

"Say yes!" He chuckled. "You've more than earned it." I opened my mouth to agree but something held me back. I thought of Tommy, standing in our spot in the park of Angel Grove. Of the Youth Center, our friends hanging out. Sunny California with all of my friends in it. Where the only person I've ever loved lived.

"Coach Schmidt, you're offer is great, but would I be able to have time to think about it?" I asked. He gawked at me slightly.

"Think about it?" He asked. "Are you sure you need to think about it?" I nodded.

"There's a lot of things to figure out now that I won't be an athlete. There's something else I might need to take care of first. I can let you know by this time next week though. Would that be alright?"

"Of course." He nodded. I stood up, ready to leave. "Kimberly?" He asked. I stopped, looking at him. "Don't let your past make the decisions for you in the future."

* * *

Impatiently, I paced the floor of the Ramada Hotel, room number 514 on the fifth floor. My hands shook whenever I took them from the pockets of my jeans, so I left them there. Inside, my stomach was doing backflips with elephant sized butterflies in them. I wanted to throw up so bad, but I wouldn't let myself do it. Instead, I kept it bottled inside and kept going back and forth between the window and the doorway that led to the exit. At least this way, I would know which way I would need to run incase this didn't work out the way it was supposed to.

I had made up my mind after leaving Coach Schmidt's office that I was finally going to tell Tommy I couldn't do this anymore. That he would either have to leave Kat or I was going to break things off with him. I know it sounds pointless coming from someone who jut shared their part in an affair lasting the better part of ten years, but it was the honest truth. I couldn't accept the job, knowing I had a possible future with Tommy if I moved back to California. I also couldn't turn down the job if there was a chance I would move back just to continue being the other woman in his life. It was time to face the music and put up or shut up. I loved Tommy with every fiber of my being and the very thought of him not feeling the same way put a painful fear in my chest. I had no other choice, though. I promised myself and this needed to happen for not only my own sanity but also his. Or Katherine's I suppose.

Tommy's flight landed about half an hour ago. I had offered to pick him up from the airport, but he said he could just get a car from there. That left me with this time to go over every possible outcome of what I was about to say to him. What if I told him and he just pretending nothing happened? What if he does react but tells me that he's not going to leave his wife? I shook my head. No. Tommy loves me. I can tell by the way he acts around me and the way he makes me feel like I'm the only person in the world when we're alone. Telling him the truth was going to make him see that I was the one he was meant to be with. It was something we knew when we were kids and something that not even time nor his marriage could stop. He risked not only his future but Kat's as well, just to make time to be with me. There was no way on this Earth he was going to tell me no. We were Tommy and Kimberly. We were soul mates, something even our friends had said to us after they learned of our break up.

I heard the door lock ding behind me and the door itself swung open. A very tired looking Tommy walked in, bags under his eyes and his short brown hair sticking up in various places on the back of his head. Instantly, all the worry I held trickled away and filled with happiness at the very sight of him. He tired frown faded, a smile spreading across his lips as his eyes landed on me. Tossing his duffle bag on the bed, he took three long strides towards me before engulfing me in a tight embrace. The smell of his after shave filled my senses and I squeezed him tightly against me. "Hey, beautiful." He murmured, kissing the top of my head. I craned my neck, so I could look up at him. Standing on my tippy toes, I kissed him on the lips.

"Hi, handsome." I said, smiling. "Long flight?"

"Very. Ended up on a two-hour layover in Texas. Then, there were three babies on the flight here. I could use a sedative right about now." He said, sighing. "But just looking at you is all I need." A warm feeling filled my chest as he kissed me sweetly again. "So, how are things? I know we haven't spoken much on the phone these past few days."

"Okay." I replied as he slid away from me to sit on the edge of the bed. He unzipped his brown leather jacket and tossed it on to the bed, revealing a Reefside High grey t-shirt under it. His jeans were wrinkled, and his sneakers were tinted green, a sign he had either mowed the lawn in them or fought someone in fresh mowed grass. Either was possible. "And you?"

"Eh. Pretty much the same. Ethan and Connor are waiting for letters from colleges. Kira already knows she's going to Berkley. Trent is going with her, I suppose." I loved the way his face lit up when he talked about the kids on his team. They've been fighting together for almost two years now. When the school year started this year, I knew he was sad that they would be leaving. He had had hopes that they would stick around since they were Rangers. But with their final battle with Mesagog happening two months ago, the kids had all decided to go to college. They've been helping Tommy keep an eye on things, making sure no one would be coming back to avenge the creep, but the coast has been clear. It was something I was grateful for, but I knew he was bored with his life now. Granted he loved the kids and working as a teacher, but a part of Tommy will forever be a Power Ranger.

"That's a good thing though." I said, sitting next to him. "They can be together during their first year. And I'm sure the other boys will find something. Ethan is super smart, and Connor is quite the athlete." I pointed out. Tommy nodded, leaning back on his palms.

"I know. I just wish they didn't have to go. I like being on a team again. It's something I'm good at. Kira says hi by the way." He smirked at me and I let out a chuckle. It was a chance encounter that I had met Kira and the rest of the team. I was in California to see Tommy and to visit Jason and Trini. I was at Tommy's house, enjoying the fact Kat wasn't home when the kids walked in unannounced. Lucky for us, we were already almost dressed when they did. I don't think the boys were smart enough to pick up on what had happened, but I knew Kira knew the instant she walked in. Thankfully, her and I hit it off well and it became unmentioned between us that she wouldn't tell Katherine. Tommy likes to compare Kira and her boyfriend, Trent, to him and me at that age. Hopefully, she doesn't do the same stupid shit as me.

"Tommy, I think we need to talk about something." I said, biting my lip. I stood up from the bed and continued my pacing. How was I going to do this? Demand him to leave him wife? Is that what mistresses do? Or do I give him the choice between the two of us? Maybe I should have watched more soap operas when I was a kid and my mother would have them on in the afternoon. I would have an idea at least. "Coach Schmidt offered me a coaching position. Head coach, actually."

"That's amazing!" He exclaimed, leaping to his feet. He kissed me, looking excited. "When do you start?"

"I haven't given him an answer yet." I replied. "I told him I had to figure something out first before I could make up my mind."

"What do you have to figure out? This is a dream job for you! And you would have so much to offer the younger athletes."

"Us." I whispered. "I need to figure out us first." He stopped talking, a slight look of panic on his face. "One thing is going to happen today; either I am going to go back to my dorm and start packing for California or I'm going to go back and accept that job. Which one I do is really up to you."

"What are you talking about?" He asked, softly.

"I never should have broken up with you." I said, taking a deep breath. "It was one of the worst decisions of my life. I thought that maybe over time, I would get over it, but I didn't. And then when everything happened after that day with Divatox, I never would have imagined this going as far as it has. Seeing you has become the only thing that gets me through the day sometimes. I count down the days and the minutes to the next time we're going to be together. And it's great. I love spending as much time as I can with you. Half the time, I find myself giggling like a little school girl just thinking about it. Our relationship would be perfect if it was a relationship. That's the thing though. I don't even know what to call what's going on between us. I can't brag about you to my friends because I'm not sure there is something to brag about." I fiddled with my hands in front of me and I looked down towards them, unable to bring myself to see his face. "Well…what are we?"

"I don't see why we need to call it something." He said. "Things are going great between us. Just like they have been for the last ten years. They can keep going like this too."

"I can't keep living like this, Tommy." I whispered. "I hate sharing you. I hate the fact that Kat is the one who gets to wake up with you every morning. That she's the one who gets to plan a future with you. The one that gets to show you off as her husband because that's what you are. Instead, I'm just the person you sneak around to see another month or so. I'm the person you get to escape to when life gets too hard. I'm the one you pretend to be with when Kat just doesn't understand you. It kills me inside to know that is all I'm good for when I…" I trailed off, letting my eyes sink to the floor. "When I love you with my entire heart."

"Kim…I don't know what you want me to say." I heard him say. In my chest, I felt something ache and I could almost envision the edges of my heart begin to crack.

"Tell me that you love me and that you want to leave Kat for me." I said, stepping towards him. "Tell me that you wish it was me you had married. Tell me that I am the one you want to be with and that you want to spend the rest of your life with me." I felt a tear slip down my cheek. "Tell me the truth, Tommy." He rubbed the back of his head, turning away from me.

"It's not as simple as me leaving Kat." He stated. I couldn't believe it. "We have lives invested in this. We have a house together. I have obligations to her."

"I've invested me entire future in you!" I exclaimed. Tears freely flowed down my cheeks now. "I have put my entire life on hold just to spend a few days out of the year with you. I've lied to all of our friends, my family, EVERYONE for the chance to be with you in the only way I can be with you. And you want to stand there and tell me you have too much invested in _**Kat**_ to think about leaving her?" My hands trembled as I shook my head. "You can't have your cake and eat it too, Tommy. You can't just keep going between us. It's not fair to Kat or me."

"Me? It takes two to have an affair!" He cried. "You're just as guilty as me."

"I know. I didn't say I wasn't. I'm not the one who has been lying to my wife for ten years though. I'm not the one ping-ponging between two women because I can't make up my fucking mind." Disbelief dipped in anger was coursing through me as I looked at him. "I can't believe you."

"Why are you ruining this? It's been going fine for ten years! Why do you have to ruin one of the best things I have going in my life? And how are would we even make things work between us when you're here and I'm all the way in California? Look at what happened the last time we tried that. There's no pressure this way. There's no worrying about the break up that might be happening because you might hear a rumor you don't know is true." He walked over to me and grabbed my shoulders. "I want you in my life. I wouldn't be here if that wasn't the case. What can I do to convince you?"

"Leave Kat." I said. "Be with me."

"I can't." He whispered, pain in his eyes as he looked down at me.

"Then neither can I." I replied. "I can't keep doing this. I can't keep letting you do this to my heart." I tried to pull away, but he grabbed me by the waist and dropped to his knees.

"Please, don't do this." He said, his voice cracking. "Don't leave me again."

"I'm not." I answered. "I can't leave someone who doesn't want to be with me." Grabbing his wrists, I pried his hands off me. He let his hands fall to his sides as I took a step back from him. "Don't try to contact me. Don't call me. Don't ask our friends about me. Don't worry about how I am. Because you'll already know. You'll already know that I'm heartbroken. That I'm devasted. That I can't stand to look myself in the mirror. All because of you. And I hope that it's all you can think about every time you look at Kat or every time you look at yourself. You did this to me. You caused all of this." Grabbing my purse from the dresser, I stormed towards the door. "You're dead to me." I whispered before slamming it closed behind me.


	25. Chapter 24

_**Tommy – The Past**_

 _Three Years Later…_

Tired eyes scanned over the mountain of exam papers that were stacked in front of me, the names of my students blending together after the tenth final. It wasn't looking very good for them. So far, only one student had made it passed 65%, something I found discouraging since I had used some of the easiest material I had from our current unit. I didn't think they would struggle with it this hard. I would need to throw in some quizzes to help bring up their tests scores. If not, a good amount of them would be at risk of failing. Our school wasn't offering summer school for my course either this year. It was close to do or die time, so to speak.

Tossing down my red pen, I ran a hand over my face. I had been at this for over three hours now. The clock on the wall over my head said almost midnight. The light over my head in my at home office seemed buzz with each passing moment. Reaching over, I shook the mouse of my computer and brought the monitor to life. The file system our school uses for grades loaded. I entered the students I had done already, calculating their current grade in the class. Three of them were now borderline failing while two were still in pretty good standings. The others were failing before the test. I saw some parent's teacher conferences in my future. Rolling my eyes, I sank back into my chair and sighed. I needed a break. I had to get all of these tests done by morning and I still had about twenty to go.

I clicked off the grades program and opened up an internet browser window. At the top of the page, I clicked the saved bookmark for Facebook. It loaded, the blue bar at the top showing the name of the website. The first thing I saw was a video of Jason practicing at his new home gym that him and Trini built in their basement. It was his new favorite past time, littering Facebook with videos every night. Scrolling passed it, I saw some photos of Kira and Trent at the café at Berkley. I liked these, adding a comment about making sure they studied. I felt like that awkward father figure for a moment before moving on. Under them, I saw Rocky posting pictures of some kind of beach.

Leaning forward, I realized it was not a beach from around here. The third picture showed a sign that said WELCOME TO FLORIDA on it. I quickly clicked on the album and scrolled through the pictures. Most of them were of the water or of animals at some zoo. About thirty pictures in, I came across one of him and Aisha posing in front of the ocean. The next picture loaded when I clicked the arrow button. My heart stopped as a picture of Kimberly appeared on my screen. She was standing on the beach, a pink bikini top on her torso and large rimmed glasses framed her face. A small smile was on her lips and she looked like someone was forcing her to take the photo. Rocky had also tagged her in the photo, her profile link appearing as my cursor floated by her face.

" _You're dead to me_." Her voice said in my ear as I looked at her. God, I missed her. I missed her with every single fiber of my being. Not a moment goes by that I don't regret what happened that day in the hotel room. If only I had just told her that I wanted to be with her. That she was the only one I ever wanted to be with. That I was so madly in love with her, no one else mattered. If I had had the balls to do all of that, then I wouldn't be sitting here miserable with my life. She would be here, with me. Rather than sitting on a beach with Aisha and Rocky. I wondered for a moment why he hadn't mentioned to me that they were going to Florida to see here. Then I remembered that they all thought we had a fight. After our last meeting, I had to tell them something so that our friends didn't try to plan things with Kim and me. So, I made up a lie that we got into a fight about our break up. It wasn't necessarily a lie. Jason thought it was stupid, but he was easy to ignore. Everyone else bought it. Not that I gave a fuck.

Clicking on her profile, I waited impatiently as it loaded. Her profile picture was of her in her office. She was sitting behind her desk, holding a Team USA poster. Scrolling down, I saw her about section. She had Schmidt Gym listed as her employer, her position filled in as Head Coach. I smiled at that. Even though I was still upset about our split, it was great to see her as someone successful. She was the best person for the job. Not only did she have the skill, she had the Olympic experience. That was something not a lot of people could say. She listed Angel Grove as her hometown and Orlando as her current address. As for marital status, it read single. I wondered for a moment if it was true. Could the most beautiful woman I had ever seen before in my life really be living in Florida without being involved with someone? I found it hard to believe. Then again, I had done a real number on her.

Further down on her page, I saw she had some pictures of her and the girls she trains. There were some selfies of her another girl I didn't know but noticed she was older than the other trainees. It might be a coworker or a friend. There were no pictures of men besides Rocky and Jason. There was one random one of Zach and her when they were kids for his birthday and then a group one of the original five rangers for best friends' day. I was nowhere to be found though, something that didn't surprise me. I read through some of her posts, reading some things she had posted like poems and jokes. There were some pretty funny ones that made me let out a soft chuckle, me picturing her laugh as she read them. She was so involved with the girls under her watch and posted a lot about them. I knew she would be perfect for the job.

About an hour had past as I scrolled through Kim's profile. I paused for a moment, the picture of a white rose appearing. It was one of those images that you could share from someone else. On the picture, there was a small poem. Though it was a bit fuzzy, I could read the words. _**Even though you broke my heart, I still look for you. Even though you turned me away, I still reach out for you. Even though you walked away, I will still follow you**_. Dread filled my heart as I read the date under the photo. She posted it around the time we ended things, a few days after I left Florida. The guilt slammed into me like a steam roller as I rested my hands on the top of the desk. What the fuck had I done? All she wanted to do was be with me. All I wanted to do was to be with her. Why on Earth had I turned her down?

 _ **Because you're a chicken shit**_ , my mind replied. It was true. Ending things with Kat to be with Kimberly would make me happy in one sense but open up a whole new can of worms in another. Kat and I shared a house together. Both of our names were on the house and both of out vehicles were registered to us as a couple. All of our bills were in joint accounts, including our bank accounts. I did have a secret account for when I went to Florida or to see Kim, but it had been left untouched since my return the last time. I'm sure the 25% of my paycheck that was being deposited was adding up in there, but I didn't have the heart to touch it. I kept it there in hopes that I would use it again to see Kim. That thought was made of nothing but empty hope seeing as she hadn't tried to make contact with me over the last four years. Four years of silence. She had kept her word. I honored her request as well.

Grabbing the edge of the desk drawer, I pulled it open. Pens rolled here and there, and a highlighter skidded down. Reaching in, I fished into the back of the drawer until my fingers landed on something small and metal. Pulling it out, I found a small key in my hand. Glancing at the door, I made sure that Kat made no movement or sounds from our bedroom across the hall. It was quiet, telling me she was in bed. Standing up, I walked over to the punching bag that was in the corner of me office. We had agreed to move my gym equipment up here since the lab was in the basement. I turned the red bag around until I found the zipper. Grabbing it securely with my thumb and index finger, I yanked it down a couple of inches. When it was open just far enough for me to stick my hand in, I did just that. Fishing through the stuffing, my fingers grazed something hard. I pulled on it and out came a travel sized safe. It was about four inches long and five inches high. It wasn't much, just enough to hide important things in. I used to travel with it, keeping it in my hotel rooms or wherever I was staying when I saw Kim. The punching bag was the best place for it now.

Taking the safe, I set it on the desk gently and unlocked the door with the key. It clicked, the door popping open. I opened it fully, seeing the white velvet box inside. Sliding it from its home in the safe, I held the jewelry case in my palm. It was about three inched wide and when I opened it, I saw that the necklace was still in its place from where I left it. There was a silver chain, delicate enough to look like it would snap in the slightly breeze. Hanging from it was a heart pendant of white gold. Engraved on the front was 9:22. Turning it over, there was more writing. _**The exact moment I fell in love with you**_. I frowned. This was what I was going to give Kim when I finally had the courage to end things with Kat. Now, it was just a reminder of something that would never come.

* * *

 _Four Years Later…_

I knew Kat was going to be pissed. I knew it from the moment I climbed into my jeep at 11 pm that night, leaving Jason's house. I had promised her I would be home by like 9 to finish up a few things in the kitchen for the remodel. And I had planned on being home at that time when I had left. But a couple hours at Jason turned into a couple hours out at the bar. Not that I was drunk. I was well below the legal limit. I had just lost track of time having fun with my best friend. It was the first time in a long time that I had had fun like that. It had also been the first time in six years that I had seen Kimberly. It was the main reason I was late.

Jason and I had been sitting at the bar, enjoying a beer when he mentioned that Trini would be coming by to hang out with us. He had failed to mention though that she would be bringing Kimberly. It was all very shocking to see her walk in the door with Trini a little while later. I could tell she had been surprised by my presence as well by the look on her face. For a moment, all I could do was stand there and look at her. She was stunning as always. Her hair was slightly shorter than before, clipped at the back of her head. She had sported a light pink floral top and a pair of tight-fitting black jeans. She didn't say much either and soon, I realized that Jason and Trini had planned this to try and fix our fight they all thought we had. Unfortunately, though, it didn't work like they had thought. I ended up excusing myself and hiding in the back-alley way until Jason found me. I chewed him a new one for not telling me that was going to happen. He apologized and that's when I realized just how late it was. Seeing Kim just seemed to widen the hole that was in my chest. I did my best to keep to her wishes, not speaking to her when they expected me to. Now, I felt empty inside. Not that it was anything new. I always felt that way now. This was just a heightened version of that.

I noticed the lights were still on in the house as I pulled into the drive way. Killing the engine, I took a deep breath before pulling the keys from the ignition. Letting it out in a puff of air, I jumped out and slowly walked up the steps that led to the front door. Turning the doorknob, I stepped inside. Kat wasn't in the living room though the light was on. Glancing around, I didn't see anything broken or harmed in any way. Closing the door behind me, I took a left and headed into the kitchen. That's where I found Kat, sitting at the kitchen table. There was a cup of tea in front of her and she barely glanced up as I entered the room. TO my surprise, she wasn't in her pajamas as normal. Instead, she wore a blue sweater and a pair of jeans. It was what she went to work in this morning. She must not have found the desire the change yet.

"I'm sorry, Kat. I just realized what time it was. I know that's no excuse but I'm very sorry." I said, trying to piece together a reasonable excuse. She shrugged her shoulders, taking a sip from the cup in front of her.

"It's fine." She said, setting the class down. "The kitchen will get done when you're ready." She sounded calm and uncaring. Like we were discussing the weather and not the fact I had stood her up. "How was the bar?" She asked.

"Okay. I had a beer and came home. Are you sure it's okay?" I asked. She gave me a small smile, reaching under the table in her lap. From there, she pulled out an envelope that was manila in color and on the larger side.

"I want a divorce." She replied, sliding the envelope towards me. My eyes widened at her words, unsure I had heard them correctly.

"What?" I asked, grabbed the envelope. I pulled the flap open and pulled the papers out. Divorce papers were indeed in my hand, both of our names on them as well. "But why?"

"Tommy, I think we both know why. I'm not an idiot. These past few years have been hell between us. You barely act like a functioning human being and it's not like we've been the ideal couple. We don't talk, you refuse to open up about anything and when you do, you shut right down when I try to fix things." She stood up, bringing her cup to the sink.

"I'm sorry." I replied. "Work has been hectic lately. It's been causing some issues. I can fix that though."

"Can you fix the fact you've been hiding an affair from me?" She questioned, looking over her shoulder at me. I felt my blood stop cold, my heart beginning to pound in my chest. "For like eight years now, right?" I fidgeted in my spot in the kitchen, unsure of what my next motion should be. How much did she exactly know? Did she know who? God, what the hell was going to happen now? Did I have a chance to call and warn Kim before Kat got to her?

"Kat, I don't know what you're talking about." I lied, hoping to cover my tracks. She shook her head, turning her whole body to face me.

"Yes, you do. You've been flying all over the southern part of the country to see Kimberly. I have the plane ticket stubs to prove it too. I found them when I was going through the closet, looking for my suitcase. That little hiding spot in the paneling is genius by the way." She ran a hand through her blonde hair and sighed. "I'm not mad, Tommy. And I'm not going to tell anyone."

"W-what?" I asked, amazed. She nodded.

"I've known for a while now. I just ignored the facts, I guess. It's more my fault than anything. I saw it happening and did nothing to stop it. And I should have seen this coming from the beginning. I just didn't have it in me to admit to it." She locked eyes with me. "I've always known how much you were in love with Kim. I just always allowed myself to believe the foolish notion that you would find a way to love me in some way that would almost equal to that. When we got married, I thought that had happened. Again, I was a fool."

"How did you find out about us?" I whispered, casting a guilty look down at the table.

"I think it was when you would go away for a few days and be as happy as could be when you came back. At first, I thought it was because you were happy to be home. But then I started noticing little things like you not packing dress clothes for business trips or how you would be very moody before leaving, like you couldn't wait to be out of here. After a while, I started wondering what kind of trips your work was making you do. I started looking on the internet to see what conferences you were at. When I didn't find any kind of conferences where you said they were, that's when I finally realized just what you were doing. I didn't say anything though because I thought for sure it would just be something that ran its course. For a while, I thought it did. But then I found the necklace you had hidden in the punching bag in your office. That's when I realized the illusion of us was never going to work out."

"I never meant for you to get hurt, Kat." I said. "I promise."

"I know. You're not that type of person. I don't blame you or Kim. You were just trying to be with the person you loved. I am disappointed in the way you handled it, but I understand." Bending down, she grabbed the handle of a suitcase I hadn't seen until now. It had been hidden behind the table. Standing up straight, she sighed again. "I'm staying at Rocky and Aisha's until my plane comes in tomorrow. I'll be back in a few weeks for our first round of legal litigation. I told my lawyer I want you to keep the house and your jeep. All I want are my things. Just read through the terms and let me know if you agree. I will do my best to be reasonable as can be." She walked towards the front door, passing me. I followed behind her, watching as she pulled on her coat.

"Now what?" I asked.

"Well, I'll be in Australia. I think I'm going to try the ballet company there." She replied. "As for you, I think you have a phone call to make. You should be with Kimberly, Tommy. Everyone knows it. Especially me now." She replied, giving me a small smile. "And your secret is safe with me. I will not tell a soul about this. I'm big enough to realize when enough is enough."

"She's not speaking to me." I whispered. "I told her I wouldn't leave you for her and she told me she hated me."

"Well, if there's one thing I know about Tommy Oliver, I know he never gives up." With that, she opened the front door and left.

* * *

A/N: I hope you enjoyed it. And for the record, I know that most people would not handle someone cheating on them for ten years as nicely as Kat. If it were me, things would be broken on someone's face. But you have to see it as if she has played second place to Kim since her arrival. She's not surprised this happened because she knows her place in Tommy's heart as well. Mind you, I still hate the little blonde witch as much as the next hardcore Tomberly lover but a part of me feels like Kat had a bit of bad luck with the way she was used as a rebound that Tommy just didn't have the brains to realize.

I wonder what Dr. Phil would think of this!


	26. Chapter 25

**Kimberly**

"It's just as I feared." Billy murmured, looking down at the screen in front of him. There was a frown on his face, wrinkles forming on his forehead as he gazed at the information he only understood. We were all back in the medical chamber, Kim hooked up to the same machines as before. She laid on the bed, going in and out of consciousness even though she did her best to stay awake. Reaching out, Tommy rested a hand on her shoulder and she finally allowed herself to slip off to sleep. The rest of us were circled around the bed, waiting for Billy's results.

"What is it?" Tommy asked, a hint of fear in the back of his voice.

"Whatever this spell is, it's not draining her powers. It's draining her very life force." Billy replied, looking around at all of us. "Each time the spell goes into effect, it's killing her. That's why the other Kimberly seems to flicker. Because if our Kimberly were to not make it…" He trailed off.

"There will be no me." I finished for him. He nodded, a heavy sense of severity falling over everyone. I let out a sigh. It killed me that kids this young have to deal with this kind of stuff. I loved being a Ranger, but I know now as an adult that it was an awful lot for 15 years old to go through. My heart stung as I watched Tommy bend down and kiss Kim on the forehead while stroking her cheek. He was so sweet. He still was. Well, for the most part.

The last I had seen Tommy was for Rocky and Aisha's anniversary party. They had invited me, and I agreed to go, needing a break from the games and the girls. Plus, it was a nice chance for me to head back to California for the weekend. I hadn't gone since before things ended terribly between the two of us. Well, not ended. You need to be something in the first place to end. When I showed up at the party, I was surprised to see Tommy looking like he was having the time of his life. He was smiling, joking with the others and even flirting with a couple of Aisha's friends from work. I had heard that Kat had left him at that point, surprised that he hadn't told me himself. He didn't talk to me, but we did share a moments glance that he didn't seem to give a second thought about. That pretty much made me understand that he was over me. I officially had no doubt that he hated me for shutting him out of my life. If he really cared about me, he would have tried to reach out once him and Kat were done. Instead, he was radio silent. I headed back home, knowing in my heart I had made the most painful right decision in letting him go…again. I had also decided that dating wasn't exactly at the top of my list of things to do. Andrea even tried to help, offering to set me up with people she knew from the area. I knew deep down though that no one would measure up to what I felt for Tommy. So, I tossed myself into my work and spent the last year being only focused on making sure my girls be the best team they can be.

"Alright. How do we stop this then?" Jason asked, resting his palms on the table in front of him. "Is there a reversal spell or something?"

"I'm unsure. Alpha and Zordon are doing some research. Hopefully, they will be able to discover a cure." Billy replied.

"Rangers, please report to the control room immediately." Zordon's voice boomed throughout the building, him paging us. He didn't sound upset or unconfident which was a good sign in my book. Kimberly flashed pink in her sleep and I felt my entire body shudder again. Everything seemed to wobble in front of my eyes for a moment. Once she stopped glowing, I came back into view as a normal person. My stomach wanted to heave but I held it down. I wasn't about to upchuck the contents of my stomach in front of a room of teenagers.

"You okay?" Tommy asked as the group moved to head to the control room. I nodded, forcing a cheerful smile on my lips.

"Yeah. I mean, it's a weird feeling but I think I'll live." I replied. Instantly, I wished I had chosen a different set of words because he casted a look at Kimberly over his shoulder. "C'mon. I'm sure Zordon has the answers." He nodded, and we followed the rest of the group into the hall. Zordon was in his power cell as usual when we entered the room and Alpha was pulling a long strip of printer paper from the computer. There was nothing but strange looking characters on it, something I couldn't read. He handed it over to Billy who analyzed it like it was a typical textbook.

"Any ideas on how to stop this, Zordon?" Trini asked, gazing up at their leader. Her, Jason and Zach stood to the side by Billy, allowing Tommy and I to stand in the middle. Zordon nodded, his giant head shifting so he could see us all.

"Yes, Trini. Rangers, the only way we are going to be able to stop this spell and save Kimberly's life is to trap Rita in a container that would prohibit her powers from working. This will stop her connection to Kimberly and stop her from draining the life from her." He stated. Billy murmured something to Alpha who sighed.

"We have to trap Rita? How? And in what?" Zach asked.

"We will utilize the space dumpster that she was imprisoned in when she was first released." His voice boomed. "It can be reused to seal her."

"Do we even have that?" Jason questioned. Billy shook his head.

"Negative. It's on the surface of the moon. According to these results, it's directly two miles from the Moon Palace. It'll need to be recovered before any type of containment can take place." He explained.

"I'll go." Tommy said, stepping forward. "I know the Moon Palace better than anyone. It should be me."

"I'm afraid not, Tommy. Rita's mission is to obtain you and the Dragonzord Powers. You will be unable to take part of this mission." Zordon replied. I watched that angry jaw clench of Tommy's as he glared up at his mentor.

"Then I'll go." I said, sticking my hands in my back pockets.

"No." Tommy said quickly, shaking his head. "It's too dangerous."

"It'll be dangerous for whoever ends up going." I answered. "I will have Kim's power coin and I also know what we're going up again. I managed to kick Goldar's ass good enough that I should just be facing Rita up there. I can even do a sneak attack and lock her in that thing before she even knows."

"The rest of us can go too." Jason said, stepping towards me.

"That will not be possible." Alpha chirped. "We will need to keep your powers here to help supply the morphing grid with the ability to keep Kimberly stable. You will be too far away on the moon to do that and it'll deplete your powers down to 50%."

"You're not going alone." Tommy said, glancing at me.

"I remember thinking this side of you was cute at one point." I mused, raising an eyebrow at him. "Think of it this way; if I go now and fail, the rest of you will still get another chance to stop her. If something were to happen to you there now, it will kill your future selves and change the course of history."

"Kimberly's correct." Billy stated. Ripping off a piece of paper, he walked towards Zordon. "There's something else that the system picked up."

"What is it, Billy?" Jason asked.

"There's another life form on the moon." He responded.

"So, Goldar is still alive then? Or does she have a monster in waiting up there?" Trini asked. Billy shook his head.

"No. The scan indicated it was a human. Though, it's picking up on a great deal of power. If I didn't know any better, I would claim that a Ranger was there."

"Alpha, can you complete a reading and pull it up on the viewing globe? Maybe we can see what's there." Trini suggested. Alpha nodded, pressing a number of buttons and knobs on the console.

"How could there be another Ranger on the moon? Unless she managed to create another evil Ranger like she did with Tommy." Zack wondered out loud.

"That would be impossible. There are no other power coins to be found in the universe." Zordon replied. "This would mean she crafted one and not even Rita Repulsa has that kind of power necessary for that magic."

"Rangers, something has been detected. I am trying to get the image on the viewing globe." Alpha said, turning a dial. Shifting on my feet, I gazed over at the globe that stood at the south part of the room. It illuminated white for a moment, a pixelated picture forming inside of it. "Just a little bit more…"

"What is that?" Jason whispered, squinting his eyes so he could see better. I could now see the outline of a person. I gently moved passed Tommy so that I could see better. Whoever it was, they were sitting in something. It was all I could really see. Could Rita have taken another Ranger from the past as a hostage? It would make sense. Perhaps she had nabbed Jason or someone in hopes of getting these kids to fork over Tommy.

"Let me help, Alpha." Zordon said. The globe glowed a brighter shade and the image began to sharpen at a faster rate. My eyes widened as the person came in to focus. The dark brown hair, combed neatly to the side. The stubble on the chin, the same shade of those locks on his head. This chocolate colored orbs that glared angerly at something off screen. The air inside of my escaped out of me with a hiss.

"Dude, that's you." Zach said behind me and I heard him slap Tommy in the arm.

"No. No. No." I whispered, walking over to the globe. Sure as shit, there sat Tommy Oliver, chained to the same chair Rita had me captured in when I was on the moon. "What are you doing there, you big idiot?" Why the fuck was Tommy on the moon? Everything in my gut begged it to be some kind of mistake. That it wasn't really him. There would be no way he would rush there to save me. He hated me, remember? So why was he there now? Being a heroic idiot? Anger flared in my chest, mixing with dread and worry.

"Where is she, Rita?" The older version of Tommy said. "I know Kimberly is here. Let her go."

"Oh, do you miss her, Tommy? Do you miss Kimmy?" Rita's voice said from somewhere we couldn't see.

"I think he came to save you." Trini said softly.

"I need to get to the moon. Now." I pulled the morpher from the back of my waist line and held it in front of me. "Pterodactyl!"


	27. Chapter 26

**Tommy**

It only took about twenty minutes for me to realize I might have jumped the gun a bit on this rescue plan. Rita had teleported us to the moon and instantly detained me to this fucking chair. I had noticed she seemed to be alone, the only other creature being something that resembled Finster. He didn't say much though, just locking my chains and asking me if I was comfortable. It was weird to see someone so nice working for such an evil bitch. He disappeared off into the shadows though, leaving me alone in the throne room.

"Kimberly?" I called, hoping that she would hear me somewhere. There was no answer though. Swearing under my breath, I pulled at the restraints. They didn't budge. I tried again, hoping that with the added power of the master morpher I could. It didn't though. Thankfully, Rita hadn't found the morpher hidden on me. It had a cloaking mechanism on it so that no kind of censors would be able to detect it. Hell, the only reason the council knew about it was because of my using it to save the planet the last time. Look what good that got me. If I made it out of here, the first thing I was going to do was pull myself right out of that stupid group.

"Looking for something?" Rita's voice asked, bringing me back to the present. I watched as she walked into the room, now dressed in a skin-tight black dress with a red cape around her shoulders. Her hair was braided down her back, ribbons running through the lengths of it. This version of Rita apparently cared more about her appearance than ours. Maybe it was because she married Zedd. I wouldn't want to dress up for that either.

"Where is she, Rita? Where's Kimberly?" I asked, glaring at her. She smirked, walking over to another chair that was across from me. She sat, leaning on one arm in a lazy fashion. "I know she's here."

"Oh, Tommy. Do you miss Kimmy?" She purred, her eyes flashing a nasty mischievous look. "I don't see why you would after everything she did to you. She broke your heart. Twice. Why would you want some little tramp again? Someone who doesn't want to be with you. Someone who left you again and again. Maybe you are just a stupid as you are brave, Tommy Oliver."

"It's me you want. Just let her go." I said through gritted teeth. She shook her head, chuckling.

"I will never understand human emotions. You don't care about power like you should. All you care about is your stupid little friends, your families, people you are in love with. Love is pathetic. What has it gotten you so far? Alone. Your own wife left you after she found out that you couldn't let go of the little pink ranger. I would have killed you where stood if it had been me. Love doesn't win wars. Love gets people killed over obsolete feelings. Humans will forever be flawed because of these pitiful emotions."

"I would rather be flawed for loving Kimberly than being your puppet." I stated, staring right into Rita's eyes. "I'll never regret how I feel about her. Nothing will."

"Hmmm…." She said, tapping a finger on her chin. "I guess we will need to falter that faith, now won't we?" She waved her hand and I felt something slam into my chest. It made my breath vanish and I gasped for air. Coughs emitted from me as I tried to regain my breath. A tingling feeling began to come over me and the edges of my vision fogged. I blinked, trying to fight it but it only spread faster until I saw nothing but darkness.

"I've never wanted you." Kimberly's voice said, my ears perking up. The darkness brightened, and I saw I was still chained to the chair, but I was now in some kind of bedroom. Kimberly was kneeling on a bed, the covers a dark red color. She was dressed in nothing but her favorite pair of bra and panties. They were silk and pink, a set I had bought her for Valentine's Day one year. Her hair was curled around her head and she wore a husky expression that jolted my groin region right to its core. She smirked, shaking her head. "I've never loved you. You've always been useless to me."

"You're not real." I said, glaring at her. "This is some kind of spell."

"You'd like to think that because you can't face the truth." She said, bending over onto her hands so that I had a perfect shot of her breasts. "Think about it, Tommy. Think about every time your body was pressed against mine. Each time you were inside of me, telling me how much you wanted to fuck me. Every single time you called out my name, I was thinking of someone else. I was thinking about someone who could really make me moan. Someone that knows just how to make me dripping wet."

"Stop it." I said, my voice quivering slightly. This wasn't real. I knew it wasn't. I closed my eyes, trying to make it go away but my eyes shot back open on their own.

"She was thinking of me." A deep voice said behind me. I turned as someone else entered the room. My eyes widened when I saw it was Jason. His chest was bare, and he wore only red boxers on his lower half. He shot me a wink as he strode over to the side of the bed. Kim pushed herself back up onto her knees and crawled over towards Jason. Leaning forward, she pressed her lips against his. I could see his tongue explore her mouth, a place that was only supposed to be mine. Pulling away, Jason leaned in and nibbled on her neck. She tilted her head back, her eyes never leaving mine.

"Did you really think you were good enough for me? Some silly boy with a silly dream of true love. I wanted more in life. Something better than you. Someone who is more of a man than you'll ever be." Pain travelled up my fingers as I dug my nails into the arms of the chair. My entire body was shaking, the illusion making me fill with blind rage.

"I know how to make her scream in a way you'll never be able to do, Tommy." Jason said, grabbing Kimberly by the back of her thighs. He flipped her back and she giggled, landing on her back on the bed. Tucking his thumbs into her underwear, he pulled them down her legs and bent over the side of the bed. His face sunk between them and she let out a loud gasp I had heard her make a hundred times before. She bit her lip, arching her back as he lapped at her slit.

"Oh god." She said. "Jason. Jason." She moaned. Bile rose in my throat as I tried to turn away. I couldn't though, my head moving back each time I tried. Her cries grew louder as he held her firmly to the bed with one hand. With the other, he slid a finger inside of her, driving it in and out each time and slid his tongue over her clit. She nearly screamed now, his name on her lips seeming to echo around the room around me.

"Tell me I fuck you better than Tommy." Jason said, his eyes casting over to me.

"Yes. Yes, you fuck me better." She panted. Her eyes locked with mine as her face filled with release. "JASON!" She cried out, her voice coming hoarse.

"STOP IT!" I yelled, squeezing my eyes shut. Her cries vibrated around me, but my eyes stayed shut. Suddenly, her voice vanished, and I could no longer hear the sound of Jason going to town on Kimberly. Slowly, I opened my eyes and I saw just Rita sitting in front of me. My heart raced in my chest and my breaths were shallow. Each breath stung as I drew it in. "What was that?"

"One of your darkest fears." She replied, shrugging her shoulders. "Not many people get to see them."

"You fucking bitch." I spat, glowering at her. She waved her hand again and that force hit me. My vision went and suddenly, I was in that hotel room where Kimberly had left me. She was standing in front of me, her arms crossed over her chest as she looked at a version of me that was standing across from her.

"I love you, Kimberly." Tommy said, stepping towards her. "Be with me. I'll leave Kat and we can be together."

"How could you think I would ever be with you?" She replied, chuckling. "You've always treated me as a second choice. Why would I want to be with someone like that? Why would I want to be with someone like you?"

"Please. I love you with my entire heart. I have never loved Kat. It's always been you. I swear." He pleaded.

"You've always been quite the liar. Just ask Kat. I don't want to be with you, Tommy. I can do so much better with anyone else. You are worthless. You're a washed-up ranger without any potential of doing anything else with your life. You can't even make a crummy marriage work without fucking that up."

"Because she isn't the person I'm supposed to be with." He replied.

"And who are you supposed to be with? Clearly not me. I would never waste my time with a sorry excuse for a man like Tommy Oliver. The world would be a lot better without you in it. My life would be 100 times better if I had never met you." Her words cut into me like a knife as I watched myself shrink back a step. "Sometimes, I wish that freeing you from Rita's spell had killed you instead." She hissed. There was a harsh look in her eyes, like she was enjoying the words she was saying.

"You don't mean that." I whispered. Kim turned her attention to me, the other Tommy vanishing.

"Oh, but I do. You used me, Tommy. You used me in the worst way a person can use someone. I hope you spend the rest of your life regretting the fact you hurt me so much. You're the reason Rita kidnapped me. You're the reason I'm probably dead right now. You deserve to rot for the shit you've done."

"I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry." I said, casting my eyes to my legs. The world around me went fuzzy and Rita appeared again, the throne room around us.

"Cheer up, Tommy. I'm just saving you from what is going to hurt you. If you join forces with me, you can stop that from ever happening." Rita said. Taking a deep breath, I looked up at her. I felt a tear slide down the right side of my cheek.

"How?"

"We can make her hurt like how she made you hurt. We can make her scream in pain for everything she did to you." Rita leaned forward in her seat, sliding to the edge. Reaching out, she put her hands on my knees. "We can become the team the world has always needed. We can take revenge on those that hurt you and show them who they were really dealing with. You can have any woman you want. You can rule this part of the galaxy with me, wiping any trace of the Power Rangers from the face of the Earth. We can destroy Kimberly before she even gets the chance to turn her back on you. Make her suffer in any way you can imagine."

"No." I said, shaking her hands off of me. "It's my fault that Kimberly got hurt. I should have never treated her like that and it's something I need to live with, but I will never fucking join you, Rita. If it means you killing me, I am going to make sure Kimberly and the others defeat you once and for all."


	28. Chapter 27

**A/N: Hello everyone! I was feeling a little creative tonight so here at THREE chapters for you. We are getting down to the end here. In these, there will be talk of Tommy's Zeo and Turbo powers. Again, I've never watched them so I am only going off what I've read on the Wiki.**

 **As always, thanks for R &Ring! I own nothing but gratitude.**

* * *

 **Kimberly**

Morphing is the greatest feeling in the world. I would even feel okay saying that it's better than any kind of orgasm one could have. It is like every single nerve ending in your body is filled with something amazing as the power wraps itself around you. I had almost forgotten the feeling as I felt the uniform appear on my skin in a burst of light. The helmet appeared on my head as well, the visor darkening the room around me. The morpher went from my hands to the front of my belt line. Looking down, I flexed my gloved fingers. I now understood why Tommy felt the need to jump back into action so much. Every single ache and pain I had in my body seemed to vanish as I stood, ready for battle. Suddenly, I was sixteen again and ready to take on the world.

"Kimberly, your powers will need to be charged in order for you to teleport to the moon." Zordon stated. "Billy, please begin the recharging process. Trini, Jason and Zach, would you please check on Kimberly to see how she is doing?"

"Sure, Zordon." Jason replied. The three of them walked out of the room as I undid the clasps of my helmet. I pulled it off, tucking it into the crook of my arm. Alpha walked over to Billy and assisted him with entering a number of sequences on the keyboard of the control panel. I felt a small buzzing begin throughout my body and a shot of energy ran through me.

"This will only take a few moments." Billy said, giving me a small smile. "I will go check on Kimberly with the others. When I get back, you should be good to go."

"I'll come with you." Tommy said. The two boys left the room, leaving me standing in front of Zordon alone.

"Kimberly, this mission is of great importance. You will need to ensure that Rita is not killed." He said. I gazed up at him, confused.

"Wouldn't it be better if she's killed?" I asked. Secretly, it had been my plan. I know that it's not really much of the Power Rangers ethics. It was highly stressed to us as teens to not take lives but rather than save them. Every situation has an exception though.

"It would be too much of a drastic change for the timelines." He answered. "By destroying Rita, you will prevent her from being released and from you and your friends becoming Power Rangers. It would collapse our timelines and could mean the end of the world."

"Alright." I sighed. "So, I just seal her and bring her back here?"

"No. You need to seal her and send her off into space of her own timeline. By this course of action, we will be correcting the timelines across the universe. She will crash and be found on the moon in the year she was destined, and you will be summoned to serve as Rangers."

"You mean, I'm the one who will seal Rita from before we were Rangers?" I asked. He nodded. My head was starting to hurt from figuring out all of this time shifting talk. All I knew was that Tommy needed to be saved, regardless of which moon she had him on.

"Correct. Once you have sealed Rita, you will have a small window of time to send her back to her present day. After, you and Tommy can return here, and I will transport you back to your timeline."

"How does the dumpster work? Do I have to save a spell or something?" I questioned.

"No. Since she was already sealed inside, it will sense her magic. Once she is close enough, it will be able to pull her inside and you will be able to seal it." There was a loud beeping and Alpha pressed a button.

"You're fully charged!" He exclaimed, the buzzing feeling vanishing. "You will be all set to teleport to the moon."

"Thank you, Alpha." I said, smiling at him. I turned my eyes back up to Zordon. "I'm going to leave while the kids are gone. Please don't let them follow me."

"We won't. Be careful, Kimberly." Alpha said.

"Yes. You're a great ranger. May the Power protect you in your mission." Zordon said, his eyes filled with pride as he looked down at me.

"If I don't make it back…" I heard my voice crack as I felt tears form in my eyes. Shaking my head, I looked down at my feet. There had to have been a hundred different memories I had of standing in this room, ready to head off to some dangerous fight. I had never felt what I was feeling right now though. Deep in the depths of my chest, a part of me knew that there was an extremely likely chance that I could not come back. That I wouldn't be able to save Kim from the spell and I wouldn't exist anyway. Her and Tommy were the only things I could think of right at the moment. I needed to make sure she has a chance to grow up and make mistakes. I also needed to make sure that Tommy didn't die trying to save me.

"Good luck, Kimberly." Alpha said. "I'll tell the others you left after you do."

"Thank you." I whispered, blinking back my tears. I gripped the helmet and pulled it back on my head, tucking my hair inside before securing the clasps. I placed both of my hands on the morpher.

"Alpha will teleport you to the location of the dumpster. You will need to head to the palace once you have it in your possession." I nodded as Zordon spoke. Alpha pressed some buttons on the panel in front of him and pink absorbed me. I felt that familiar pull as I left Earth.

* * *

Walking on the moon takes some adjusting. All of the commenters at the games who had classified me as graceful would be sadly mistake now if they saw me stumbling and drifting off in different directions as I landed on the surface. I fell forward, nearly landing in a deep crater on my left. I sunk my fingers into the dust on the ground to stabilize myself. It took a minute or two to get used to the feeling that nothing was holding me down. Dust particles floated around me as I was finally able to stand straight up. That was as coordinated as a baby learning to walk. Looking around, I saw the vast emptiness of space around me. I could see several planets off into the distance, the sun behind the Earth as it rotated. The Earth looked like a beautiful green and blue marble, the swirls of clouds looking like wisps of cotton on the surface. Unlike Earth, the moon was cold. Very cold. I was thankful for the thermal power of the suits because I felt I would have frozen to death without it. The same was to be said about the lack of oxygen. Whoever designed these suits knew what they were doing, that's for sure.

"Ok. If I were a space dumpster, where would I be?" I muttered, clicking on the flashlight attached to the helmet. It lit a small beam of light from the top, the light flooding the area about a foot away from me. Shifting my head back and forth, I strained my eyes to see anything that resembled it. I had a fuzzy memory of what I was looking for from the time Bulk and Skull accidently found it in the park. Stepping forward, I kept sweeping the area, hoping it would appear. I was just about to give up hope when the beam hit something that glinted to the right. Turning, I saw that it was the very top of the dumpster, the lid askew to the side. Running as fast as I could in zero gravity, I slid to my knees in front of it. Grabbing the lid, I put it on top of the dumpster. It was embedded into the side of the moon alright. It almost looked like it had grown out of the ground rather than landing there over a year or so ago. Gripping the edges of it, I yanked. It didn't budge at all. Swearing, I tried again. This time, it shifted a few centimeters.

What the hell was I supposed to do if I was unable to get this fucking thing out of the ground? No one had said anything about it being locked into place. Sighing, I rested for a moment, trying to figure out what would work. I had the power blaster, but I would chance hurting it and giving myself away from Rita. Shaking my head, I grabbed it again and pulled. It moved more than before but not by much. Now, it slid left and right in its hole. Inspiration came to mind as I kept turning it to the left. My arms ached from the repeated motion but sure enough, it started to unscrew from the moon like a lightbulb.

Standing up straight, I heaved the dumpster out of the hole and was amazed at how light it was. Then I remembered I was on the moon and everything weighed like a feather here. Hugging it to my chest, I turned to face north where the Moon Palace was. I could see it's outline in the shine from the Earth. Jumping high, I soared through the air as I headed in that direction. As I jumped, an idea was beginning to form on how to trap Rita. If I hid the dumpster on the balcony and somehow managed to get her out there, it would suck her up inside without any issues. I'm sure it would be easy once she saw me out there. For the first time since Rita kidnapped me, I was feeling optimistic about my chances.

As I neared the castle, I stopped jumping and decided to walk the rest of the way. There weren't many lights coming from the structure, just that from the throne room and the windows near the balcony. I knew she would be there. She had a flair for the dramatics and it was the same place she had forced me to record that message. It suddenly dawned on me that she had made me record it to send to the Tommy in my time, not this Tommy. She must have planned to take both versions of him, but her plan failed when younger Tommy showed up and helped us escape. That's when she probably decided to send Tommy the video I had made. She lured him into a trap. Damn it, Tommy.

Under the balcony, I searched for an entry way that was clear of anyone. It was odd not seeing a putty or any of Rita's normal creatures milling around. I had asked Hermes this when I had been captured. He stated that he was the only other henchman in the whole place besides Goldar. What had this Rita done with the Rita of this time? Was she here too, somewhere in hiding in hopes of aiding her younger self? It made sense. It sounded a lot like what Rita from any time area would do. I found a semi-hidden door way along the west wall of the palace. From the doorway, I could still see the balcony and it seemed empty. I suddenly wished our powers included super high jumping. Even with the added help of no gravity, there was no way I could make that leap while carrying this. I would need to go inside and find my way there.

The door was on the smaller side and made of wood, cast iron nails holding it together. There was also a cast iron ring for a handle that hung on the right side of the door. Gripping it in my free hand, I pulled on it and the door slowly opened without the slightest trace of noise or resistance. It made me worry with its ease. Rita couldn't be this stupid. As I slipped inside, I kept the hand I wasn't using to carry the dumpster on the handle of my power blaster. I found myself in a long stone hallway that was lit with torches that actually had flames on them, oppose to her orbs when I had been here last time. Behind me, the door swung shut with a soft thud and suddenly, there was gravity again. The dumpster grew twenty pounds heavier and I nearly dropped it. Quickly, I was able to steady myself again, but I now needed to use both my hands to trek it up the hallway.

"Ah. Kimberly. I'm glad you've returned." A voice said from my left. I froze, afraid to see who was there. Shifting my head, I saw Hermes standing in the doorway off to the side. He smiled at me, a pleasant gleam in his eye. Crap. Bending down, I set the dumpster on the floor and pulled my weapon from my waist. I pointed it at him and he nodded. "I don't blame you, dear. I would probably do the same. I promise on my father's life I won't let Rita know of your arrival. She isn't expecting my presence any time soon anyway." I eyed him for a second, unsure if he was telling the truth. "Your friend is here. Rita has him upstairs in the throne room, trying to convince him to join her crusade."

"Isn't it your crusade too?" I asked. He shook his head, sighing.

"Goodness, no. I only work for Rita because of my family's debt to her. She granted us survival after her father took over our planet. Since then, we've been forcing to work for her. Since our time goes in reverse, after I'm gone my father will be taking my place." And I thought our time issue was confusing.

"That sounds awfully complicated." I replied, lowering my gun. "I'm sorry that you and your family have to go through that."

"As am I. I do apologize for what she has done to you and your family as well." He said. "If you cut through this door, you will end up at the back staircase to the throne room."

"Where is Goldar?" I asked.

"She sent him back to their time to heal. You hurt him pretty badly." He smirked, winking at me. "She was hoping that he would be back by tonight but unfortunately, my time travelling powers are almost tapped out."

"Your powers? It's your powers she's been using?" He nodded.

"I'm afraid so. It's part of my imprisonment with her. I haven't had the time to recharge though. I will die if I try again." He tucked his hands into the pockets of his white apron. "Would you like me to watch your pot while you fight?"

"Huh?" I questioned, confused. He nodded towards the dumpster at me feet. "Oh. No. I need this to stop Rita. Actually, Hermes, I think I've got an idea but I'm going to need your help."

"Your wish is my command, Miss Kimberly!"


	29. Chapter 28

**Tommy**

"Come on, Tommy." Rita purred, leaning forward in her chair. If Rita had been any other woman in the world, I would have said she was attractive. As she bent, her breasts were more exposed, and I was pretty sure she was doing it on purpose. "We could have a lot of fun together. I'm no little girl. I can always give you any type of desire that you might have." My stomach nearly emptied at the thought as I shook it from my mind.

"I'll pass." I said, pulling on my wrists again. I willed them to be free, to break the clasps. They didn't though. They stayed where they were, secure in the same spot they had been in since our arrival. Sighing, she leaned back in her chair and twirled a piece of her hair around the tip of her right pointer finger.

"I thought as an adult you would have been smarter than the little version of you. I was obviously wrong. You're the same little dork now than you were then."

"A dork with a degree though." I pointed out even though I knew she had no clue what that would mean. Behind me, I heard a door open and I saw her eyes dart lazily over my shoulder. There was a shuffling noise and then the sound of wheels rolling came to my ears. Shifting, I saw the thing she called Hermes coming towards us, pushing a cart in front of him. There was a white sheet draped over the sides of it, silver trays on top of it.

"My empresses, I thought that you and our guest might be hungry. I've prepared a number of foods that might perhaps change his mind into staying with us. I hope you enjoy." He said, bowing towards Rita who smiled.

"Brilliant idea, Hermes. Now, go." She waved him away and he nodded. As he turned to leave, he shot me a wink before shuffling away. What was that about? Clearly, I'm not his type if that's what he was thinking. And there was no way some junk food was going to just make me change my mind. I heard him leave, his footsteps echoing until they were gone.

"Do you see the kind of servants I can offer you? He's a bit dull but he's quick to do what he's told. One of the best investments I've ever made." Reaching over, she plucked some kind of weirdly shaped red fruit from the tray and popped it into her mouth. "Just imagine all the glorious things we could achieve together. All you need to do is say yes."

"No. I already told you no. I only agreed to come to save Kimberly. Where is she? Is she safe?" I questioned again. Rita crossed her legs, twirling her left foot in the air. The shiny black heels she wore reflected the light orbs that floated around the room.

"She's alive…for now." She replied, shrugging her shoulders. "I don't suppose to spell I casted on her has taken any effect yet. Well, too much."

"Spell? What spell?" I yanked at my chains, anger building in my chest. "What the hell did you do to her?"

"This." Reaching inside of the cloak, Rita withdrew a pink crystal. It was attached to a string and was no bigger than my pinky. It seemed to pulsate, glowing pink for a moment before darkening. "With this, I am sucking your pretty little girlfriend dry of any kind of life force she has." She swung the necklace, dangling it from her finger tips. "She'll be dead by morning. Well, this is if you don't join me. You say yes, and I will break this and end the spell. Kimmy will get to walk away unharmed."

"Show me her." I snarled. Rita chuckled, slight traces of her hideous laugh hidden somewhere in her laughter.

"Tell me yes and I will." She cooed. "Don't you want to do anything you can to save poor Kimberly?"

"I don't need saving." A strong voice said from seemingly nowhere. I looked around, trying to find the source of it but there was no one but Rita and I in the room. Rita also looked confused, unsure of who was talking. There was a sudden loud clanging noise as the cart top flew off, revealing a pink Power Ranger standing on it. Her weapon was drawn, and she pointed it at Rita whose eyes widened. Turning her weapon from Rita to me, she pulled the trigger. The power blaster shot my right cuff off and she did the same with the left, leaving my hands free. I managed to pull my feet free now, jumping to my feet. Rita was standing now, a shrill noise coming from her as she pointed at what I assumed was the younger version of Kimberly.

"You! You should be dying!" Rita exclaimed.

"It's funny how that isn't happening today." Kim said, jumping off the cart. She ran forward, kicking Rita in the mid-drift area. It caught the witch off-guard and she flew back a few feet into the wall. The pink Ranger turned to me. "We need to seal her into the dumpster." She said, pointing at what I recognized as the containment chamber Rita had escaped from. Twice.

"Or we could kill her." I replied, pulling my master morpher from behind me. She shook her head.

"No! It will change history. Zordon said she needs to be sealed in order to save—AH!" A blast of red light hit Kim, tossing her back like a rag doll. She skidded across the floor, her helmet bouncing like a rock on the surface of water. Turning, I saw Rita was standing now, her cloak gone and pure rage in her eyes.

"Come on, Rangers. Let's see what you've got." She seethed. Swinging her arm, she aimed another ball of energy towards the teen, but I rolled forward, scooping the petite girl up in my arms and managed to jump out of the way before it made contact. I helped Kimberly to her feet, her steading herself as I did. Holding my morpher out in front of me, I shifted through the coins with my thumb.

"It's morphing time! Dino Power Thunder up!" A burst of black lighted energy came back from the morpher and my Black Dino Thunder uniform coated me. Clipping the morpher to my waisted, I summoned my Brachio staff. It appeared in my hand and I swung it, warming up my muscles. When I was ready, I ran forward and jabbed it towards Rita's head. She bent out of the way, the tip of it barely missing her face. Rita swung next, a ball of energy coming from her finger tips. I deflected it with the staff, it hitting the wall near me and blasting a small hole into it.

"You're making a huge mistake." Rita said, glaring at me. "We can rule this universe and everyone in it. I can give you everything you want."

"No, you can't." I grunt, back swinging the staff. It went towards her temple and she ducked to avoid it. "No one can."

"That's enough!" She exclaimed, holding out her hands. From thin air, her staff appeared. Raising it up into the air, she slammed the end of it onto the ground. It sent out a shockwave, the force strong enough to knock me off my feet. I swore as I landed on my back, my helmet bouncing on the floor for a second. I blinked, trying to regain focus as my ears rang.

"Tommy!" Kim's voice called. She rushed towards me, grabbing me under the arms and pulling me so I was sitting up. I shook the fogginess from my head and assisted her in helping me stand. I noticed my staff was gone, telling me that the Dino Thunder powers were beginning to fade.

"Stay back. I can handle her." I said to the younger version of the woman who left me twice. I wondered how far back in time we were. If I warned her about moving to Florida, would it change things? Would she not go? Did I have a chance to save what I had with Kimberly?

"Would you stop being so god damn thick headed and let me help you?" She snapped, stomping her foot. For a moment, I saw the Kimberly I remembered from high school. She would always remind me that I was part of a team, not taking on the whole world on my own. She was the force that kept me humble and alive, more than likely.

"Get the dumpster ready then. I'll distract her." I replied. Touching the morpher, I shifted coins. "Zeo Ranger V: Red!" The black spandex changed into read and the helmet also morphed as well. The Zeo powers. These were a set of powers that I had a hard time adjusting to. It was also during a time I was adjusting to life without Kimberly by my side during battle. With a swift motion of my hand, my sword appeared, something I haven't used in a while either. I cursed myself out for not practicing my karate like a smart former Ranger would do. I gripped the hilt in my hand and ran forwards.

"Give up, Rita! You'll never win. Trust me. I've seen your past history." I said as the blade of my sword met her staff. Sparks flew as they collided. She let out a shrill laugh, her eyes wild with something I recognized in the Rita I remembered.

"You Rangers think you can really defeat me? I am Empress Rita Repulsa. No one has ever defeated me, and no one ever will." She exclaimed, shoving me away with her staff. I brought the sword up from down low, swiping it across the front of her. The blade just nicked her side, her dress ripping. As I did this, she brought her staff up and drove the tip of it into my shoulder. It pierced through my uniform and right into my muscle. I let out a loud gasp, pain radiating down my arm as I pulled away. I clasped my wound, blood appearing on my white glove as I looked at it. She ran a finger over her wound, black blood dripping from it. She brought her finger to her mouth, licking it as she smirked at me. "Getting a little slow there in your old age, aren't you Tommy?"

"Not old. Just seasoned." I replied, adjusting my sword in my hand. I took three large strides forward, my sword out in front. She held up her staff to block but I moved just before we made contact. I thrusted the handle of the sword into her abdomen, causing her to double over. I brought my knee up, colliding it with her chin. She stumbled backwards, holding her mouth. Blood trickled down her chin now and her look of confidence was no longer as strong. Wiping her chin, she muttered under her breath. As she brought up her staff, I realized she was saying a spell. The ball part of her staff began to glow. Raising my sword, I went to swing but I froze. I couldn't move a muscle in my entire body. My sword hung above my head, my right hand holding it while my other was trying to reach for her. Rita laughed, a wide smile on her face.

"History will pay witness to the fact that Rita Repulsa is the one that ended Tommy Oliver, the greatest Power Ranger that has ever lived." She said, stepping towards me. Gripping her staff in two hands, she drew it back. As she moved to drive it into my chest, there was a loud cracking noise. The bulb on the staff exploded, red pieces flying everywhere as a pink arrow of energy struck the wall behind Rita. I could move again, and I shifted to see Kimberly holding her bow, pointing it towards Rita.

"He's not the greatest but I guess he's alright." Kim said, pulling the string back again. Another arrow appeared, and she released. Rita swung her staff, deflecting it. As my muscles began to work, I felt the degrade in power as the Zeo began to drain. Quickly, I shifted into Turbo with a click.

Rita's staff was now emitting off red light, everything in the room beginning to shift as magic filled the air. She swung it swiftly, sending a wave of magic towards Kim. She rolled out of the way, the magic slamming into the cart and the wall. Both went flying, the dumpster rolling across of the floor. Tucking my head down, I ran forward and slammed into Rita. We both fell, her body taking most of the impact as we hit the floor. I felt a sharp pain as she drove the end of her staff into my back. It only grazed my skin, but I still felt it dig into my flesh. She slammed it into me again, allowing herself to roll out from underneath me. She clawed her way to her feet before me and pointed the staff at me. Instantly, I felt my powers begin to drain. It was like I was under the heat of a thousand suns, my eyes struggling to stay open. I was dangerously close to unmorphing. I could feel it.

I pushed off the floor, rolling to my side. I pressed the button and a flash of white light blasted, cutting off the heat from Rita for a second. I was now the White Tiger Zord Ranger, the gold shield covering my shoulders. Saba, the all-knowing and never stops talking sword with the head of a tiger, appeared in my hands. I held it out in front of me, him deflecting the rays. Two laser beams shot out of his eyes, tossing the staff from Rita's hands. I used the opportunity to roll completely out of the way and leap to my feet.


	30. Chapter 29

**A/N: Only two more chapters to go! Don't be sad. I'm already working on my next fic! The preview will be at the end of the story like usual. Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoy! Remember to R &R!**

* * *

 **Kimberly**

I know that God supposedly made women for men because Adam was lonely but I'm starting to believe he did it because Adam would have ended up getting himself killed by the end of the first day. This resolution came to mind as I watched Mr. Always-Has-To-Be-The-Damn-Hero leap right into a fight with Rita who was holding a spear that could cast spells with just a blink of an eye. Though, I do give him credit. Not many would be brave to face off against her, but he could have at least come up with a plan before jumping right into action. It was too late now though as I watched the two of them roll around on the floor. I had a list of questions I wanted to ask him, starting with how he was able to morph right now. And how did he have so many different power coins? What the hell was he doing with his life now that he had that kind of technology? Those questions would have to wait though. There were more pressing matters at hand.

"Master Oliver, we will need to destroy her spear." Saba said as Tommy pulled himself to his feet. "It's her main power source."

"No!" I called out. "We need to follow Zordon's plan." Tommy ran over to me, stopping so he could look down at me through his helmet.

"Listen, I understand what it's like working under Zordon and wanting to do everything he says. As you get older, you'll realize that sometimes, it's not the best plan though. We have the chance to destroy her and we need to take it. If we do it now, she can't come back and attack the Earth." I was confused for a moment and then I realized what he was talking about. He must think I'm the younger version of myself. Of course. Rita has him believing I'm off dying somewhere. "We need to get that crystal though and kill her."

"If we kill Rita, the universe will collapse." I replied. "The timelines are too intertwined now. Any chance in the past will cause it to rupture. That's why we need to seal her. If we don't, it'll be the end of the world."

"Oh." He said. "That changes some things."

"Someday, you'll learn to listen the first time." I muttered. Bending over, I straightened up the space dumpster and tried to pry the lid off of it. It was stuck, the impact crushing it on to the point I couldn't move it. "Shit. I can't get it. It's stuck."

"Here. Let me try." Tommy knelt next to be, sticking the tip of Saba's sword into the side of it. Over my shoulder, I watched as Rita moaned as she struggled to stay conscious.

"I am not a can opener!" Saba exclaimed, irritation in his voice as Tommy wedged the blade in further. There was a noise and one side of the lid came up. It was enough for me to pull it off completely.

"Great work, Saba." Tommy said as we stood up. "Now, let's get her right where she belongs." Both of us turned around and were surprised to see the Rita was no longer laying on the floor. She was nowhere to be seen even. "Shit! Where'd she go?" Tommy asked, taking a fighting stance. I did as well, holding my bow close to me. I put my finger on the string, ready to pull it when needed.

"I don't know. She can't be too far though; her magic is still all over this room." I replied. He turned so his back was against mine and he was facing the balcony. I was looking into the room, seeing the doorways. She wasn't anywhere over here though.

"Say goodnight, rangers." Her voice called above us. Looking up, I saw the she was floating in the air above our heads. She pointed her wand out towards us, a direct beam of magic heading right towards us.

"Kim, watch out!" Tommy called, shoving me out of the way. I sprawled across the floor, leaving Tommy to take the full hit of the attack. He let out a loud cry, Saba falling to the ground as scorch marks covered his white uniform. As the beam faded, Tommy fell to his knees, gripping his chest.

"Tommy!" I called out, scrambling to get to my feet. I ran forward but was hit with what appeared to be an invisible wall. I bounced off it, a shar pain shooting through me where I had touched it.

"You are quite the fool, Tommy. You could have had it all. You could have had power, greatness, the world at your feet. Instead, you decided to waste your talents on someone who will never love you in the same fashion you feel about her. You let a silly notion of love come between you and your destiny. Now, I must kill you to make sure that I will be am to fulfil my destiny." Rita said, floating above Tommy. On her head, I noticed that half of her hair was gray now, the force of Saba's attack doing no doubt. "I will destroy you and any memory of you on that pathetic and disgusting planet. I will make sure no one remembers the White Ranger."

"You…forgot…one…thing." Tommy said, his voice barely above a hushed tone. "I'm…not…remembered…as…the…white…ranger." There was a clicking noise and a flash of green light filled the room for a moment. When it subsided, Tommy was now standing, dressed in the Green Ranger uniform. "Green is more my color. Hiya!" Jumping into the air with a new burst of energy, Tommy landed his heel right into the middle of her chest. Rita slammed into the wall, her staff falling from her hand. It fell down, heading towards the dumpster. Once it was near enough, the dumpster began to glow, and it sucked the staff in like a drain eats water.

"No!" She yelled as her staff disappeared. She glared at Tommy, holding her sternum. Her attention turned to me and out of nowhere it seemed, she was standing in front of me. Her hand reached out and found my throat, wrapping her fingers around it. My airway was cut off as I felt her lift me off the ground. I kicked and clawed at her, trying to break free. She didn't release me though, a mad look in her eye as she gazed at me. "You'll be the reason I destroy this Earth as well as the one in your timeline." She said, leaning in close. "I will destroy every single human and every single trace of you from the face of history. I will let him live though so that he can see the devastation caused by his little whore."

"Fuck…off." I managed to gasp. Putting my ankles together, I pulled my legs up and forced them into her stomach as hard as I could. It was enough for her to drop me and I gripped the pink crystal in my hand as she did. The string holding it there snapped as Rita stumbled backwards. I ran forward and kicked her again, causing her to walk closer to the dumpster. With one final kick, she tripped over a piece of rubble and landed in the suction zone of the space dumpster. Rita let out a loud scream as she began to shrink in size.

"This isn't the last you've seen of me! I will destroy all of you! Just you wait!" She called, her pitch going higher and higher as she grew smaller and smaller. She disappeared into the space dumpster and Tommy slammed the lid of it on top. A white light sealed it shot and any ounce of magic that was in the room was now gone. I let out a sigh of relief, thankful to see the evil bitch just where she belongs after everything she put me through these past few days. Looking down at my hand, I saw the pink crystal in my palm. It pulsated pink one finally time before finally going a dull color. I felt all of my energy return and I wondered for a moment if that meant that Kimberly was restoring on Earth as well.

"Whew." Tommy said, walking towards me. Reaching up, he undid the clasps of his helmet and tucked it under his arm. "That was rough. You did a great job though. Zordon will be proud." He looked around the room. "I need to find the Kimberly from my time era. I know she was coming here. Do you know where she might be?"

"Oh, I think I have an idea." I replied. I undid the clasps of my helmet and pulled it off. My ponytail fell from it, my bangs sticking to my sweat covered forehead. Tommy's eyes widened as he realized it was me.

"Kim? But, how?" He asked, stepping closer.

"It's a very long story. And also, how the hell are you morphing into a whole team of rangers like that?" I questioned. He smirked, rubbing the back of his head.

"Long story?" He replied, shrugging his shoulders. I rolled my eyes at his attempt to be cute. His face took a look of seriousness as he looked down at me. "I thought for sure you were being held prisoner here when you tried to come save me."

"Might be the other way around." I responded. "I only came because we had a feed of Rita holding you hostage. Why did you come?"

"The rest of the team and I started having flashbacks of you with us when we were younger. Our memories were trying to align themselves or something. There was a memory of you trying to get to the moon to save me and when Billy looked you up in the past, you were listed as a missing teen that was later found dead. I thought it meant that Rita had killed you. I had to try and stop you." He explained.

"Well, aren't we the pair." I mused.

"Kimberly!" Hermes voice called, walking out of the doorway where he had helped me sneak through. He gazed around the room, looking for Rita.

"She's gone, Hermes." I said, giving him a gentle smile. "We've sealed her like we've planned. Now we just need to figure out how to send her back to her time era."

"I believe I can help with that." Hermes said, shuffling over to the dumpster. Bending down, he picked it up and smiled over at me. "I can transport it back to the past with me."

"But Hermes, I thought you said that time travelling when you're not charged will kill you." I replied, taking a step towards him.

"You're correct. By going back, I will cause my own end. But, it will be worth it to ensure that all the lives on Earth are saved." He stated.

"But we can find another way." Tommy said. "I'm sure Zordon will have the power to do so."

"It's alright. It's my time to go anyway. I've had a good life. My father has been born and will sleep until Rita's return in 10,000 years. This will be my way of honoring him and the rest of my family in a way that has never been done before. I do need to apologize for the role I played in her evil ways." He gave Tommy and I each a sincere look of apology. "I did not wish to hurt anyone. Please believe me on this."

"We do." I whispered.

"Excellent. Before I go, I should warn you that Rita placed the version of herself into a sleeping state with the others who lived here. With her gone, they should awaken shortly." He smiled again, holding the dumpster against his chest. Closing his eye, Hermes began to speak in a different language. A dull yellow light began to glow around him that grew with intensity with each word he spoke. A loud noise like a gun shot rang out and in the blink of an eye, Hermes shot off through the curtains of the balcony and disappeared. The entire palace fell silent for a moment but then, a shrill voice that we knew all too well rang out from somewhere in the building.

"I'VE GOT SUCH A HEADACHE!"

"Let's get the fuck out of here." I muttered. Tommy laughed as I pressed the teleporting button on the morpher.

* * *

Back at the Command Center, I gave Billy the crystal I had gotten from Rita. With it, he was able to complete reverse the spell and brought Kimberly basically back to life from the brink of death. I stopped flickering like a television with bad reception, something I was grateful for. When she woke up, she was bright eyed and bushy tailed. I was glad to see her up and moving around, probably not as glad as Tommy who watched over her like a hawk the entire time I had been gone.

When we first arrived, Tommy walked around like he was reliving a memory. His face lit right up with excitement when he saw Alpha and Zordon again. We spoke with Zordon alone, telling him of the adventure on the moon and how Hermes had sacrificed himself in honor to send Rita back in time. Zordon said he would try to reach out to his council to see if there was anything that could be done about rescuing Finster and the rest of his bloodline from Rita. Zordon also swore us to secrecy, telling us we must never speak of our involvement with sealing Rita. We agreed, knowing the damage it would cause. It was bad enough the kids were meeting their future selves. I didn't think letting them know that their whole jobs as rangers was based on a lie. High school was bad enough.

The sound of talking came from the doorway as the teenagers came into the control room of the Command Center. The kids had been in the medical bay mostly with Kim, waiting for her to wake up. On Tommy's arrival, Jason and Zach found themselves almost acting like groupies to him. It was weird to watch them follow him around when literally the other Tommy was sitting in the next room. They asked him all sort of ranger questions and things about the future. He turned them down though, telling them he didn't want to ruin any surprises. It was probably a smart move on his part. It was the safest way to know we weren't going to change things. As they entered the room, Kim was in front looking happy and holding Tommy's hand who was beside her. Trini and Billy were behind them, the other boys bringing up the rear.

"How you feeling?" I asked, smiling at Kimberly.

"A whole lot better, thanks to you. Or me, I guess." She replied, laughing.

"Me too. I think I have something that belongs to you." I pulled the morpher from my belt line and handed it over to her. She took it in her hand, the power transferring from me to her, where it belonged. "It was great being a ranger again, but I think it's in better hands with you."

"You would know best, I suppose." She replied. Letting go of Tommy's hand, she wrapped her arms around my shoulders and I hugged her back. It was weird hugging a younger version of myself but comforting at the same time.

"You behave, okay? At least a little anyway." I shot her a wink as I pulled away. "That goes for all of you, especially Jason and Zach."

"See? They obviously know something about us that is going to be awesome!" Zach exclaimed, pouting. Tommy scoffed next to me, shaking his head.

"Good to see things never change." He muttered under his breath. I nodded, smirking up at him.

"Tommy and Kimberly." Zordon said, causing us to turn up and look at him. "It was a privilege getting to know you as adults. I am honored to serve you twice as your mentor. It's given me great proudness to be able to call you two of the greatest Power Rangers who have ever served. You will be remembered through history as such." His voice boomed.

"It was great to be back for the short time I was here." I said, smiling up at him. "And thank you, Zordon, for being our mentor. You helped strived us towards our full potentials, something we couldn't have done without you."

"Kim's right. We'd be nowhere in life without the Power Rangers." Tommy said. He turned to the kids. "Cherish the time you have here, even when the fights get tough and it feels like you won't come out on top. We're living proof that you will. You've got a big job and I know you can do it."

"Are you ready to return to your time?" Alpha asked. I looked over at Kim and Tommy again. Tears were streaming down her face as he wrapped an arm around her shoulders.

"I think so." I replied.

"You'll need to walk into the transport bay. It's where we set up the charges." Billy explained, pointing at the space where we used to park that horrendous Rad Bug of his. I could see two poles attached to the floor, wires coming from them. I stepped forward, Tommy following me. Stopping between them, we turned back to face the group. Billy pressed a button on a remote and the poles began to buzz loudly.

"You know, just for the record, the long hair was much better." I said, not looking up at Tommy.

"Oh, yeah? Maybe I could grow it back." He suggested. I shook my head.

"Nah. I like it short. Though, green does look mighty fine on you." Glancing up at him, I smirked as a blinding white light filled the room.


	31. Chapter 30

**A/N: And here are the last two chapters!**

* * *

 **Tommy**

The bright white faded, and I felt solid ground form under my feet. I saw that we were now standing on the sandy beach where I had met with Rita. The sun was beginning to rise on the horizon over the water, bright ray of orange and pinks casting over everything the light touched. The heels of my boots sunk into the soggy sand as I turned to look at Kimberly. The golden rays hit her face, causing her to look like a siren. Her hair was moving in the breeze, a slight expression of worry on her face a she glanced over at the water. Taking a deep breath, she turned her eyes towards me.

"That was something." I said, a lack of better words to say coming to me. What the hell was that supposed to mean? It was a wonder I was able to be with this woman in the first place. Or any woman for that fact. I was such a fucking idiot sometimes.

"Sure was. I suppose I should check back with Andrea and Coach Schmidt. I'm sure everyone is worried about me." She replied, clasping her hands in front of her. I nodded.

"They are. Especially Andrea." She looked at me, confused.

"You met her?" She asked. Nodding, I rubbed the back of my head. There was still so much she didn't know about what happened after she came up missing. We haven't spoken much since our return from the moon. Sure, there had been mall comments between us, mostly nice to my surprise, but not much that I would call a conversation. No. That has yet to happen. But as I gazed down at her, I knew it needed to happen. I needed to be honest with her, once and for all.

"Yeah. Jason and I came down here right after you were reported missing. It's a long story, really. But, I think we should talk about some stuff first."

"Oh." She said simply, casting her eyes down toward our feet. "About what?"

"Kim, I-." I was interrupted by the flash of a red light appearing next to me.

"You son of a bitch!" A voice raged and the next thing I knew, I felt a force hit me square in the jaw. I stumbled backwards, my hand flying to the area where whatever it was made contact with my face. There were more flashes of lights as noticed as I steadied myself. I tasted blood in my mouth as I swore. Looking back towards where I had been standing, I saw Wes standing there. He was visibly seething almost, anger apparent on his face. TJ and Gia were behind him, both of them not looking to enthused either. Behind them, I saw the rest of our rag tag group coming down the beach, running from the parking lot.

"It's good to see you too." I muttered, spitting out blood onto the sand.

"Are you out of your fucking mind?" Gia asked, stepping in front of Wes and pointing a finger at me. "You ran off without any word and pretty much handed not only yourself but the most powerful weapon on Earth to one of the most powerful enemies the Rangers have ever faced! You could have been placed under a spell or killed! The master morpher could have been compromised! Do you even think, Tommy? Ever?" She ranted, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Good to see you're in good hands." Kim said, smirking at me as Gia gave me a lashing. Gia turned on her heel, not noticing Kimberly until now. Jason and the rest of the team finally managed to make it to our smaller group, all of them out of breath.

"Kimberly!" Trini called out, rushing towards her friend. Kimberly looked at her confused as Trini engulfed her in a hug. Aisha joined, wrapping her arms around the both of them.

"What are you all doing here in Florida?" She asked as she was released by the girls but then engulfed by Zach. Jason followed, squeezing her tighter than anyone.

"You're joking, right? Why else would we be here? You were kidnapped!" Jason said, giving her a look like he couldn't believe her. "Did you think we would just let this asshole have all the fun?" He pointed a thumb at me, shooting me a wink. "Good thing you stuck by the plan, by the way."

"Eh." I replied, shrugging my shoulders. "I had my own plan. Which worked, by the way." I pointed out.

"By sheer luck, I'm assuming." Wes replied, his anger seeming to subside slightly. "That was incredibly irresponsible, Tommy. You are extremely lucky something didn't occur to put you or the morpher at risk."

"I know. I know. I'm sorry. But everything worked out alright. We were able to send Rita back to her correct time frame. Everything is back to normal in every year, like it should be." I said. Reaching behind me, I pulled the master morpher from my belt line and held it out to Wes. "Here. You should get this back before Andros and the rest of the council knows it's gone missing." Wes took it, glancing at it in the palm of his hand.

"We will. I'm sorry for my reaction. I am very grateful to see that you were able to save your friend." Wes smiled at me, turning towards Kimberly. "I am happy to see your safe return, Kimberly. Thank you for your service on the Ranger team." A slight blush crossed her cheeks as Kim tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.

"Oh. Thank you. Thank you everyone who came all this way just to try to save little ol' me. I'm sure there's more important things you all could be doing right now. I really do appreciate it." She said, smiling at the group.

"More important? One of our own was in trouble. There's nothing more important than that." Rocky said, shaking his head. TJ nodded in agreeance, putting his hand on Kim's shoulder.

"When one of the greatest rangers comes up missing, you do your best to get to the bottom of it." Kim smiled brightly at him for this, letting out a chuckle of embarrassment. "But Tommy is right. We need to be getting that thing back before Andros has all our asses in a vice." TJ held out his hand to me and I took it, shaking it.

"Thank you. Thank you to all of you. I know going against Andros and the council isn't easy." I said, glancing at Gia and Wes. "I owe you all."

"You sure do." Gia said, giving me a smirk and a small wink. Wes held out his hand and I released TJ's, taking his.

"Take care of yourself, Tommy. We will call before our next council meeting. Try to behave yourself, will you?" He asked, a rare smiling crossing his face. I returned it, wincing at the cut on my lip. "Sorry about the punch."

"Sure, you are." I replied. He let out a loud chuckle, releasing my hand. He placed the morpher in the back they had brought it in before tucking it into the inside pocket of his jacket. The three waved at all of us again before teleporting in a burst of red, yellow and blue light. We watched as they disappeared, leaving all of us standing on the beach. The sun was fully risen now, warmth filling the beach. Well, as much as it could in December.

"We should get you home." Jason said, turning to Kim. She nodded.

"Yes! I need to let everyone know I'm alright."

"And you have to get ready to go." He said. She looked at him, confused.

"You are still coming to our house for Christmas. I don't care if Lord Zedd comes down here and tries to chop your head off right in front of me. You're coming back with Trini and I tonight." He gave her a serious look, his arms crossed over his chest.

"But, Jase-."

"Don't even fight it." Trini muttered. "He's as stubborn as can be." Kim sighed, nodding.

"Fine. I think I could use a vacation anyway."

* * *

After leaving the beach, Aisha, Rocky and Trini brought Kimberly back to the dorms with Jason, Zach and I went back to the hotel to grab my gear. I was a bit annoyed that we had been interrupted on the beach and she was now off with the other half of our group. I wanted to talk to Kimberly before everything became too crazy. Thank you, Wes. We loaded up the computer, connecting with Billy one last time to let him know what had happened on the moon. He promised to be reachable once we all returned to California, apologizing for not being able to come for the holiday. Zach gathered all the luggage from Aisha and Rocky's room while Jason packed all of our stuff. Our rental car was pretty much packed to the brim by the time the others returned. It was just Aisha and Rocky who came back, them explaining that Trini was helping Kim explain what happened to Schmidt and the police. We had all agreed on the story of her being taken by some crazy guy who just let her go on the highway somewhere. Billy even managed to fake some security footage to back it up. They were going to meet us at the airport, taking any chance of me speaking to Kim before taking off away.

"Stop moping." Jason said as I tossed my suitcase into the truck. It was the last thing to go and it barely fit. As I slammed the trunk shut, I raised an eyebrow at him.

"I'm not." I replied.

"Right. Sure, you aren't." He said, shrugging. "You'll get plenty of time to spend with her at our place."

"Yeah. Okay. With all eighty of us there." I muttered. Jason scoffed, rolling his eyes.

"It'll work out. Relax." Sighing, I glanced over at him.

"Listen, I have to tell you something. I feel shitty about it, but I hope you'll understand why I didn't." Jason tucked his hands in his jean pockets, leaning against the car.

"Alright. What's up?"

"Kat didn't leave me just because I wasn't attentive." I said. "Well…I mean it as one of the big causes but not the biggest. Kim and I sort of hid an affair for a while." His eyes widened in shock.

"What's 'awhile'?" He questioned. "A year?"

"More like ten." I responded. He let out a low whistle. "It's not something I'm proud of, believe me. But it happened. We hid it from everyone because it was just easier that way. But about eight years ago, she wanted me to leave Kat. I freaked out and told her no. Kim broke things off with me. I don't know why I did it. I didn't want to be with Kat. I guess I was just scared of changing things. I finally had her back in my life and I didn't want to change things."

"Probably should have thought of that before cheating on your wife for so long." He said, scratching his forehead. "I get it though. Kim's the one you want to be with. You're just too thick headed to see that until it was too late. When she gets back here, just pull her aside and talk to her. Would make Christmas a whole lot less awkward for the rest of us."

"Thanks." I replied. "You won't tell anyone, right?"

"Are you kidding me? If Kat hasn't, then I won't. She does know, right?" I nodded.

"Yeah. She was in denial for a bit I guess but she knew. That's why she asked for a divorce. She was pretty good about the whole thing. I was surprised. Though, she did take me to the cleaners. I'll be paying alimony until she's set up at her new place and she'll get a part of my pension when I retire. The joys of dumb decisions."

"You live and learn." Jason pushed off the vehicle and started towards the hotel room again. "Just don't fuck up this time. Or else we'll need to go back in time and save your ass from yourself next time."

Talking to Kimberly didn't happen when she got back from her apartment. She showed up just as we were getting ready to head to the airport. Because of the rush to get seat back to Angel Grove, we were all being split between three flights. Aisha, Rocky and Trini would be on one flight, Jason and Zach one the next and then Kim and me on the last. Finally, I saw a window of opportunity. We would have the entire time together on the plane to talk. It wasn't the most ideal place to confess your love to someone, but it was my only option.

At the airport, we split up into our groups and bid farewell. Aisha, Rocky and Trini had a layover in Kansas City and Jason and Zach had one in Denver. Our plane wasn't making any stops, the condition of my frequent flier miles. From all of my trips to see Kimberly over our time together, I had accumulated a good number of them. Though they usually expire, the airline was able to provide me two tickets at a fairly reduced price, especially being so close to the holidays. We would beat everyone back to California where I was hoping to squeeze in a trip to my house to make sure it was still standing and where I could use every drop of hot water. My body was sore from fighting, something I noticed happened a lot faster now that I was older. It made me feel like such an old man, but I was realistic in the expectations of my abilities. 40-year-old men don't move as fast as teenagers. They also ache easier and bruise with less effort. It was something I would live from. It was the very least of my worries at this point.

Kim and I walked silently towards our gate after checking our luggage. Hers ended up being too large as a carryon and mine was a pound over the weight limit. The woman at the door took our tickets and information before letting us board the flight. We were twelve rows from the door and the flight was jammed packed with people. To my dismay, I heard the chatter of little kids but saw there were on the other side of the cabin as us. Their mother was also equipped with several iPad, giving me hope they would be preoccupied the entire flight. Kim slid into her seat next to the window. I took the middle seat and the third seat was taken by a younger guy who didn't even acknowledge Kim or I as he sat down. He instantly absorbed himself into his headphones and The Office on the laptop he set up on the tray in front of him.

"Charming." I muttered, glancing at him. She smirked at me, shaking her head as she turned her focus out the window. Below, we could make out the movement of workers on the tarmac as they loaded luggage and fuel into the airplane. It was growing dark outside, the tips of their glowing batons shining brighter the darker it got.

"We could have just teleported to California." She sighed, leaning her chin into the palm of her right hand as she rested her elbow on the arm rest. "Could have saved us all this trouble."

"That's true but I don't think Zordon from any time frame would think that using teleporting to avoid the airport is a smart use of that power." I replied.

"I suppose you're right." Above our heads, there was a slight ding and the fasten seatbelt light flashed on. We both clipped ours on, securing the trays on the back of the seats in front of us as well.

"Ladies and gentlemen, we are about to take off. Please listen to the following safety rules and instructions." A flight attendant said into the microphone. My mind wandered as she spoke, telling us the same speech everyone who has ever rode in an airplane knew. Out of the corner of my eye, I looked at Kim. She was gazing out the window and the smell of vanilla shampoo gently washed over me. She was everything I was missing in my life. I was more scared of telling her about my feelings than I was of facing Rita or any kind of ugly monster. How could that be? She was only five feet tall. How did she make me want to cower in fear?

The flight attendant finished up her memorized lines and soon, we were rolling down the runway. The plane pulled up and we were airborne. Everyone started to settle into the cabin when the light turned off for the seatbelts. Sweat formed in the palms of my hands as I realized my window was now here. I had five hours to open up to Kim. It was no or never.

"Oh no!" Kim gasped, covering her mouth. She practically made me jump at her outburst. I leaned forward, looking at her.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

"I don't have any presents for anyone! I was planning on going shopping beforehand, but I never got the chance." A look of worry crossed her face and she bit her lip.

"It'll be fine, Kim. You have plenty of time still. They do have malls in California. You of all people should know this."

"I know but still, I feel horrible."

"Well, you were kinda held up. I'm sure no one will hold it against you. I mean, you could get some stuff at the airport." She scrunched her nose in protest.

"That's tacky! That would only work for Jason and Rocky." Sighing, she leaned her head back against her seat. "Looks like Aisha, Trini and I will have to go shopping when we get back. They should have some awesome deals going on right now."

"It's like I brought the teenage version of you back with me." I said, smirking at her. She shot me a glare.

"Well, I wouldn't have minded the teenage version of you. He was much nicer." Crossing her arms over her chest, she shifted in her seat, so she wasn't looking at me. Smooth move, Oliver.

"Kim, I didn't mean anything by that." I said in a soft tone. "I'm sorry."

"I know. I'm just cranky I guess. I don't really feel like talking right now, Tommy." She said, not even glancing at me.

"Oh. Ok." I turned my attention to my hands that I wanted to strangle myself with. My ability to put my own foot in my mouth was unbelievable at times. Closing my eyes, I rested my head back on the seat and mentally thought about different ways to jump out of this plane. My self-hate disappeared though as I felt Kimberly move next to me. Opening my eyes, I saw that she had drifted asleep and her head was rested on my shoulder. Maybe this wasn't going to be as bad as I thought.


	32. Chapter 31

**A/N: The final chapter! Thank you everyone who has kept reading this and following along the whole time. I will admit that half way through, I lost my steam and thought about not finishing it. You all helped me decide to keep going. Mostly from your reviews but also because I'm pretty sure at least one of you has me on Facebook and knows how to track me down (Marci!) I feel better about seeing this through to the end. I hope you all enjoyed it for the most part and I promise the next one will be better. I will be posting a preview tomorrow of it on here as well as hopefully the first chapter in it's only fic. So, keep your eyes open!**

 **As always, thank you for R &R! I own nothing to do with Power Rangers nor Queen. But congrats to Bohemian Rhapsody for winning at the Golden Globes last night!**

 **Tommy and Kim forever!**

* * *

 **Kimberly**

The flight to California didn't feel very long at all. I credited this to the fact I slept for most of it. The only time I woke up was when we hit a little bit of rough air. When I did wake up, I saw that I had fallen asleep on Tommy and that he was also asleep. At first, I was going to pull away but something in me stopped me. Instead, I curled up into him more and closed my eyes. After everything we dealt with, I didn't think this was going to emotionally scar me. And obviously he didn't mind since he hadn't stopped me before that.

The Angel Grove airport was swarming as we departed from the terminal. My back ached slightly from the weird sleeping angle, but I felt more rested now than I have in a while. I didn't want to say it was because of Tommy but I knew it was. I ignored the thought as we waited for our bags at the baggage claim. His duffle bag slid out first, my following shortly after. Reaching into his bag, he fished out a set of car keys and turned to me.

"Jason texted and said they would be landing in about forty-five minutes. I don't want to head home yet since I'll need to turn right back around again. Any ideas?" He asked. I shook my head.

"Surprise me." I replied. He glanced at me for another moment before smiling.

"Alright. C'mon." He headed out the door, picking up my suitcase for me as he did. I followed behind, intrigued to where he was heading. Carefully, we crossed the busy street in front of the airport and headed to the parking lot reserved for those parking and flying. I spotted his jeep right away; the older looking model desperately needed a bath, but it made me smile when I saw it. I was instantly brought back to Saturday morning hikes on my weekends here or trips around Dallas when we would meet in Texas. I shoved those memories from my mind, not letting myself get sucked into that again. Memory lane wasn't invited to this occasion.

Tommy opened the door for me and I climbed into the passenger seat. I could smell his aftershave and other things that told me it was Tommy's car; a sticker for a dojo on the dash, an empty can of Red Bull in the cup holder and a discarded Taco Bell gift card wedged in one of the air vents. He shoved our bags into the back seat before getting in himself. It took two tries to get the jeep going but she purred when she finally caught. Checking the coast, he backed out of his spot and made his way out of the parking lot. Following the traffic, he headed towards downtown Angel Grove.

We drove in silence, the only noise coming from the ratting air vents. I now understood why he had the card shoved in there. I couldn't imagine what it sounded like without it. Reaching over, he flipped on the radio. It was right in the middle of Queen's Somebody to Love, Freddie Mercury belting out the chorus as the rift in the background began to pick up. Tommy hummed to himself as he drove, drumming his fingers on the steering wheel. I tapped my toes on the floor board, enjoying the sound of the voices. I always liked Queen. It was one of my mother's favorites when she was a teenager. Whenever we drive in the car, she always makes sure that Bohemian Rhapsody is played at least once no matter the distance. As the guitar solo began, Tommy took a right-hand turn onto Tilden Avenue and headed north towards the center of Angel Grove. I knew the familiar route he was taking. Soon, the park came into view and he pulled into the parking lot by the back end of the playground. Killing the engine, he pocketed the keys and climbed out of the seat.

Hopping out of the jeep, I adjusted my jeans and my white hoodie. It felt nice to be in clothes that weren't the ones I had lived in the last few days. The first thing I had done back home after speaking to the police was shower. It felt heavenly. Then, I talked to Andrea and Coach Schmidt. Both of them looked so relieved to see me that I knew they weren't going to like the fact I was going to be taking some time off to head to California. Schmidt was a bit more accepting of the idea than Andrea, saying I deserved it. I offered Andrea the option of coming with us, but she refused. She did tell me that she had met Tommy. Though she didn't say it, I could tell she wanted to know more about why my ex-boyfriend had come rushing to find me rather than letting the police handle it. I figured she would get over it by the time I came back. With any luck, she won't want to know too much more than that. I wasn't too sure if I could handle her knowing any more than she already did.

Continuing the silence out of the car, Tommy and I walked together from the parking lot to the cement path. On the playground, I only saw two or three children playing. It was dead for being so nice out, the sun shining down. In the warm breeze, I could smell the salt from the ocean. Granted Florida had oceans, it was nothing in comparison to the ones here. I might be a tad bias, but I will always love it here. It felt like home, like a place that would always be safe which was weird to say seeing as I was always fighting for me life when I left it. I saw two younger women sitting on benches near the playground, telling me they were either nannies or mothers watching the children. Tommy and I continued down the path further, the playground behind us. Above us, I saw the traditional Angel Grove Christmas decorations hanging from the light poles. They were wire framed snowflakes and Christmas bulbs, dressed in garland and lights. They lit up at night, something I remembered from when I was a kid. Off in the distance, there were also larger light displays set up in a roped off area. This was the larger light show that they left up for the holidays each year. There was Santa's sleigh and Frosty. Even a small village made entirely of lights. I smiled at the sight, it not looking like much more than a mess of white wires now. At night, it would look wonderful.

Following the curve of the path, we came along the south side of the pond. The sun was glittering off the surface of the water, making it seem to shimmer. I didn't see a soul around, the parking seemingly empty passed this part. Tucking my hands into the pockets of my hoodie, my eyes fell on three familiar looking larger rocks near a small water fall. In my eyes, I saw a long-haired kid practicing his kata on the middle rock, his arms moving with only the grace and determination that I knew of Tommy to have then. His focus was only disrupted by my presence. It had been the day I had finally found the nerve to tell him how I felt. How much he meant to me. How much I missed him. Then, he admitted the same to me and we kissed for the first time. My first kiss. A moment in my life I would never forget. No matter what happened between us, that sweet moment will never be tarnished. It was something I would cherish in my heart forever.

We didn't come to a stop until we came to the secondary parking lot of the parking. This was to the right of the path and to the left was the east side of the pond. Sand began to cover parts of the path and I heard it grind under my tennis shoes as we stood there. I felt the muscles in my stomach tightened as I saw the area in front of us. Tommy walked forward, his feet sinking slightly into the white sand as he stepped. I followed behind him, trailing on purpose. I didn't like being here. When we were younger, we had a great deal of memories here that had been special to me. One of my favorite dates had occurred along the shore line here. But this was also the place I stood to tell Tommy good-bye before leaving for Florida. I had thought for sure I would be coming back to him after I was done to start planning a future. This special place was tainted for me now. The pain of leaving him came back to me as we stood along the water's edge, gazing out at the surface of the pond.

"It's as beautiful as I remembered it." I murmured, feeling the window blow my hair around my head. Tommy nodded, kicking at the sand with the toe of his shoe.

"This is one of my favorite places. After you left, I came here all the time to just think or to clear my head. Sometimes, this is where I would come to write to you. It made me feel closer to you." He replied. "It's where I came when I got the letter." Well, let's just add that to the list as well.

"What are we doing here, Tommy? Did you really bring me here, so we can reminisce about that stuff? I really don't want to." I said, sighing. "If I wanted to talk about all the bad shit that happened between us, I would have done it already."

"I didn't bring you here for that. I just thought it would be the best place for us to talk. That's all." He responded, casting a quick look at me. "So much has happened in the last twenty-four hours that we haven't had the chance to yet."

"To talk about what exactly? I appreciate you coming to save me. I really do. But that's all there really is to say. It doesn't change what happened. It doesn't change things between us. And if that's the only reason you came to save me, then you did it for the wrong reason."

"I know it doesn't. I didn't expect anything from that." He said quickly. "Jason showed up at my house and told me you were missing. The first thing I did was hop on a plane to find you."

"Why?" I asked.

"You were in danger. The world was in danger." The small glint of hope I had depleted a little. Of course. He had only come to save the world. Tommy Oliver will always be a Power Ranger first, human with emotions second.

"I'm glad you came." I stated, turning to face the water again. "The world owes you. For everything you've done while working for the Rangers. I hope someday you can find the happiness in this world to help you with that."

"Me too." He said softly. I sighed, standing up straight.

"You're a good guy, Tommy. A little clueless at times but nonetheless, a good man. You deserve the best. It's something I hope you get."

"I had it." He said, shifting so he was facing me. "But I let it go."

"It's not too late. Divorces don't always mean the end of things." I replied, refusing to look at him.

"I'm not talking about Kat." He responded. "I'm talking about you. Us. Everything that happened between us." I shook my head.

"You shouldn't. What we had between us was just something to pass the time. Something to help us feel younger. Nostalgia or something along those lines. You said it yourself." I eyed him, feeling all the emotions I had been suppressing over the last eight years begin to build. All of the anger, the loneliness, the heartbreak. It was growing and growing until I thought it was going to explode. "You looked me in the eye that day in the hotel room and told me I was ruining what was between us. There was never an us. There was a you and Kat. Never a you and me. I know that now. You need to know that too."

"Kim, that's not the truth. What I said to you that day was a lie. I was scared. I was honestly so terrified that I was going to ruin the only thing that was keeping me going that I self-sabotaged myself without realizing it. I never wanted to hurt you like that. The entire time we were together, for those brief trips or moments, I never felt more at home in my life. Each time I went home to Kat, I felt like I was cheating on you rather than her. I felt awful being there and looked forward to our next time together. You've always meant more to me than Katherine. I know it's a dick thing to say and the main reason why she left me but even she saw it." I spun my head to look at her.

"She knows, doesn't she?" I asked. He nodded. My eyes widened in shock. "Oh, god." I said, covering my face. Guilt replaced the feelings I had in my chest. "Everyone knows, don't they? That's why she left you. Jesus Christ. They probably all think I'm a giant fucking whore."

"No. No one knows. Kat promised she wouldn't tell anyone, and she didn't. The only one who knows anything are you and me." He said. I looked up at him, unsure if he was telling the truth. I thought for a moment. If Aisha or Trini had any clue, they would have said something. Rocky couldn't keep a secret from Aisha either. He was telling the truth.

"Don't you see why this was such a bad thing we did? We hurt Katherine. She didn't deserve to have that happen to her."

"No. She didn't. But, she's moved on. She's dating a nice guy from Seattle and they are getting settled in. The divorce wasn't as horrible as I thought it would have been. And she doesn't hate you, either. She told me when she asked for the divorce. All she said was that she was tired of competing with someone she knew she could never replace." He spoke. I turned fully, looking up at him.

"Replace?" I questioned. He nodded.

"She knew before I think I did that no matter how hard she or any other girl tried, I would never be able to love someone as much as I love you." The words floated around us, the realization of what he was saying hitting me softly.

"You love me?" I whispered, my voice barely above a hushed melody. He nodded, smirking at me.

"I do. I love you with every inch of my heart and pretty much the entirety of my soul. Is that enough?" Reaching over, he took my hands in his. I couldn't believe what he was saying to me. He loved me? Could this be true. I was having such a hard time wrapping my head around it.

"But what you said before-."

"Wasn't true." He said, cutting me off. "I was scared. I thought that if I told you how I felt about you, you would expect me to be a person I couldn't be. I don't know why. I just thought I wouldn't be able to be that person you needed. It was easier with the way things were. Changing it meant facing the fact I needed to grow up and I wasn't ready to do that yet."

"Tommy, you are everything I need in a person." I said, locking eyes with him. I saw so much raw emotion swimming in them that it hurt my chest slightly. "You never need to change. I fell in love with you. You, the best version of the person you can be."

"So…you still love me then?" He asked sheepishly. I laughed, loving the little boy charm he had to him. Suddenly, we were seventeen again, standing on the sands of this little makeshift beach without a single care in this world.

"You could say that." I said, feeling a tear slip down my cheek. He smiled, leaning in and pressing his lips to mine. I felt my feet leave the ground as he lifted me in his arms. I cupped his face in my hands, loving the feeling of his lips against mine. This was everything I needed. Everything I've wanted since I last had it. As he pulled away, I looked down at him. "This is it though. This is end game. No more messing around. No more playing games." He nodded.

"You are the only thing I need in this world and I'm never letting you go again." I smiled, kissing him gently.

"Good because I'm not planning on going anywhere without you again." He set me down on the ground, pulling me into his arms for a warm hug. This is where I needed to be. He wasn't my savior or my knight in shining white armor. I had proved that before on the moon. No. We were each other's saving grace. I was the only that kept him humble but helped him see the hero he was for the world. He was the support I needed to help achieve my dreams. He was the thing that kept my head above water when thingy got murky. Love isn't easy or perfect, something proven to us again and again. But I did know that this was love as we started walking along the path again, this time our arms around each other.


	33. Story Preview

A/N: GUYS! THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH! I've loved reading your wonderful reviews and it feels amazing to know how much you guys liked the ending. As promised, here is a preview of my new fic titled **Drunk Me**. Obviously, it's a Kimberly and Tommy story. It's going to be set in Florida in present times. I don't want to say too much about it because I don't want to ruin anything. But I will be posting the actual first chapter in the next day or so. I really hope you like it!

Also, I had this awesome idea today! I want to do a collection of Kim and Tommy one-shots but sometimes, I lack ideas. So...I will be taking requests! If you have an idea for a one-shot starring our should have been destined Ranger couple, PM it to me! I thought this would be a great way to meet all of you and expand on some ideas. :) I want to start this ASAP so send them to me!

As always, I do not own anything to do with Power Rangers. I also do not own any of the songs used in the following preview.

* * *

"Kim, you're up." The raspy voice of Joe Ramone called from the end up the bar. I looked up from my glass and saw the older man looking at me, his finger pointed towards the stage. I nodded, picking up the drinking and downing the last of the vodka that had collected at the bottom. There was no burn, the effects really sinking in now. As I slid off my bar stool, I steadied myself from the wobble that came from the first step. Squeezing my eyes, I let my body gather itself for a moment. Taking a deep breath, I opened them again and started towards the front of the bar room. I passed the cluster of tables and chairs as well as the small dance floor. Several people clapped as I stumbled my way up the steps of the stage. I raised my hand, smiling as I neared the microphone and my guitar that was propped up in its stand.

"Hey, guys. Thanks for hanging out while I took my break. Nothing like a good drink to make the music touch your soul, am I right?" I said into the mic. There were a few cheers and applause as I spoke. I laughed, glancing around. It was mostly regulars, older guys who came here every night. Some had their wives with them while others just sat together. There were also some new faces. There was a table of college aged looking guys on the left in the front and what seemed to be a group of women who had decided to go out after work. It wasn't much of an audience, but it would do for night. One of the guys in the college idiots caught my eye and I gave him a wink. He smirked, a cocky smile coming to his face. He had dark brown hair that was combed to the side and a light pink polo shirt with a popped collar. He looked like the biggest tool in the world, but he would work. "Hey, handsome. Wanna get me a drink?" I cooed into the microphone. His table nearly exploded at my comments as he jumped out of his chair and headed to the bar. "This next song is one you might know. If you do, feel free to sing along!"

Picking up my guitar, I put the strap over my shoulder and slid it until the guitar rested comfortably against my body. My fingers fumbled for a moment, trying to find their placing on the strings. The college kid appeared in front of the stage, a glass of clear liquid in hand. I pointed to the stool next to me and he hopped up on the stage. Setting it down, he awkwardly stood there. I glanced over at him, raising an eyebrow.

"If ya don't mind, I'd like to sing a song." I said. The crowd laughed, and his cheeks tinged pink as he slinked off back to his table. I smirked, picking up the glass. Joey had probably told the kid what I wanted. Bringing it to my lips, I drained the glass of vodka and set it back down. "I had a dream about a burning house…" I sang into the microphone. "You were stuck inside, I couldn't get you out."

As the words slipped from my lips, I felt my mind drift off to a place that it commonly went when I sang. The sun shimmering off the surface of the pond, a light breeze bringing the smell of the distance ocean into the city. The sound of birds chirping in the trees above my head. I could feel the warms of the sun on my face and the sand between my toes. Fingers were intertwined with mine as I gazed into chocolate brown eyes, pools of warmth, kindness and love. Almost too much love to contain. The sound of his deep laughter dancing over my skin it seemed. The feeling of being carefree, young, and alive washed over me. The mixture of the memory and the alcohol swirled together in my mind and I allowed myself to pretend I was there again, breathing in the sweet smell of his essence. The very thing that used to make my heart beat and break.

"I've been sleep walking, too close to the fire. But it's the only place that I can hold you tight, in this burning house." I sang, the song coming to a close. I hadn't realized my eyes were closed as I slowly tugged them open. My eye lids feeling heavy. The crowd clapped, several of the couples now holding hands on the table tops. My eyes lingered on a younger couple closer to me, their fingers wrapped around each other and they smiled in each other's direction. I felt a dull pain in my chest as I quickly turned my eyes from their direction. "Thank you! Thank you." I said into the mic. Glancing towards the bar, I caught Joey's eye. He held up the bottle of vodka and I nodded. He knew me so well.

I went through a few more songs including a version of Fancy by Reba McEntire and one of Kelly Clarkson's more famous tracks. Joey brought me two more drinks during this time and the after effects were beginning to really set in as I perched myself on the stool. Faces were becoming blurring, but I was still able to find the correct chords as I began the melody for the next song.

"Now, some of you may know this but I'm actually not from here. I was born and raised in California. Trust me. It's not that great. I recommend the visit but don't live there unless you have to. But I moved here when I was seventeen and decided to stay. Being so far away from my family and friends really taught me how special life is. My best friend passed away a few years after I moved away. She was killed in a drunk driving accident." Tears pricked the back of my eyes as I spoke. I knew I was rambling but not a shit was given. "She was such an amazing person and I always try to sing at least one song for her when I play. So, here it goes." Strumming the strings of my guitar, I bobbed my head as the words came to me. "I came by today to see you. Though I had to let you know…If I knew the last time that I held you was the last time, I'd have held you and never let go."

I managed to sing the words, raw emotion beginning to build in my chest. The image of sweet Trini sitting across from me at the Youth Center came to mind, her sipping on a strawberry banana smoothie while we talked about boys and homework. How things had been so simple. How stupid I had been at the time. Now, she was gone. And the part of me that missed her felt like a voided part of my existence.

"Because Heaven was needing a hero, somebody just like you. Brave enough to stand up for what you believe and follow it though. When I try to make it make sense in my mind, the only conclusion I come to ss that Heaven was needing a hero like you." My voice cracked as the chorus came to an end. I heard more applause as my eyes clouded with tears. I blinked them away, my sniffles echoing in the microphone. As my vision cleared, I caught what I thought was a flash of silver in the audience. I glanced around to see what the source could have been. From the direction I had seen it, I saw a man sitting by himself at a table in the back. There was a beer bottle in front of him and he was peeling the label from it. I attempted to focus my eyes from the amounts of alcohol in my system. He was about my age, pushing thirty possibly. Short, dark hair was on his head styled neatly. Wire framed glasses rested on the bridge of his nose and he lifted his head to look at me.

No fucking way.

I knew I was drunk. I get this way on a daily basis almost. I knew what it felt like. But I also knew it could make me see things. That was the only explanation as to why I was seeing Tommy Oliver sitting in my bar right now. There was no way on this fucking planet that he would really be here. It had to be the vodka, I told myself. I blinked, setting my guitar in it's stand as I stood from the stool. He didn't disappear when I did so though. He was still there, standing now. I waved at everyone else before carefully stumbling down the steps of the stage. I used the wall for support as I started towards the bar, my eyes not leaving the guy that couldn't be Tommy. He was on the move now, seemingly heading towards me.

"Kim?" He said as I stopped walking. The whole bar was spinning now, the floor becoming the ceiling. That voice. I knew that voice. "Are you alright?"

"I'm going to throw up." I replied before feeling the contents of my stomach explode everywhere.

* * *

Title: **Drunk Me**

Summary:

Falling from grace isn't as hard as Kimberly thought it would be. The former Pink Ranger went from competing at the Olympics to where she is now; singing cover songs at a bar every night. Though it's not the worst job in the world and it keeps a roof over her head, it doesn't help with her budding alcoholism that developed shortly after the death of her best friend. Kimberly blames herself for not being there when she should have been, resulting in her own path of destruction. Living in misery and cheap booze seems like a plan until her past comes walking into her bar one night. Now, she's forced to face the memories and feelings she's been trying to erase after all these years.


	34. Important update

Hello everyone. I want to start of by apologizing for not uploading the new fic yet. I've started it but haven't created it yet. Sadly, there is a reason and that is why I am posting this.

Yesterday, my family went through a tremendous loss. There was a house fire that took the lives of my two little cousins, Mikey and Richie. Mikey was 7 and Richie was only 6. Their little brother, Jackson, was also killed. He just celebrated his first birthday not long ago. Their father and his fiance were able to escape but the flames prevented them from being able to save the kids.

This is such a horrible thing that my family has to deal with. It's like a nightmare or a horrible news story you see happening to other people that you would never expect to happen to you until it does. Those boys were the sweetest things on the planet. Mikey was the miniature version of me, something our family always joked about. Richie had the biggest brown eyes with the most gorgeous eyelashes that any girl would die for. His laugh was downright contagious too. Both of these boys deserved to have lives that last much longer than they were given. Their oldest brother, Logan, is the sole child remaining now and it's not something that a 10 year old should have to go through.

I wanted to write this in hopes of reaching out to my readers. All I am asking for at this time is thoughts and prayers. You can never understand the heart breaking feeling of having to watch a mother plan her babies funeral until you see it. The gut wrenching feeling of knowing that three little boys perished in one of the worst ways imaginable.

You guys are some of the most amazing people I've ever had the privilege to semi get to know. There is a donation page available but I am not asking for donations. If you would like to, please send me a private message and I can provide you with the information.

Throughout the years, I've lost a number of important people in my lives and have gone through some tragic events. There's something I've always turned to during those times and that is writing. I will be back and I promise to post the story and many more things. At this time, I thank you all for your patience with me.

I love you all.

Sincerely,

Jessica


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